Predator: SVU
by Prairiefire
Summary: Two hunters separated by lightyears are about to team up.
1. In the Beginning

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **One: In the Beginning

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 4154

**  
Yautja Home world**

The female's screaming was beginning to annoy Al'brk'vix. He was a Blooded hunter, who was she to decline his advances. It was his right to spread his seed, and he had chosen to do it with this female. But she refused him. He may have been on the short side, and his muscles were not as bulging as other stockier hunters, but it wasn't his fault. He was built on the lines of a runner, and he was one of the fastest hunters in his clan. He was finally tired of getting the leftovers. Throughout his life it had been left over food. In training he always got the leftover weapons and _'awu'asa,_ or armor. When hunts were decided, he was always chosen last to be part of a pack. Now, he couldn't even get the leftover females. None would have anything to do with him and he had had enough of it.

Gathering his raggedy pack of other unpopular, Al'brk'vix set about to prove that he was strong enough to father his chosen female's sucklings. And now that the two unBlooded were holding her down he was ready to father his first offspring. However, first Al'brk'vix had to quiet her. With this noise, every person with in five miles would hear her. First, Al'brk'vix tried to simply cover her mouth with his hand. When she sank the teeth of her inner mouth into it Al'brk'vix tried to pull it back. With an unmistakable challenging growl the female sank the tusks on her mandibles into the flesh of her tormentor's hand. Fluorescing green blood ran down her face and dripped on the ground before Al'brk'vix ripped his hand away.

Though larger and stronger than Al'brk'vix, the female was now helpless. Without the two other males holding her arms down she could have easily defended herself from Al'brk'vix. While struggling with the two weights on her arms and Al'brk'bix straddling her torso she entertained ideas of their fates. She knew what the scrawny male intended to do. Impregnate her. Her initial rejection proved true when he needed two others to hold her down to do it. All of them would be sentenced to death. Rape was a serious crime, and one no yautja got away with. The other one, the older one that was acting as _hult'ah_ would also share the same fate. She just had to make sure that she was found quickly so that the filth of this male could be cleansed from her as soon as possible. The possibility of dying never entered her mind. While rape was rare, the only deaths that usually resulted were the males. Either at the hands of the female at the time of the act, or at the hands of the Arbitrators.

Al'brk'vix was furious. The female kept struggling and screaming. Her strength was incredible; she would make an excellent dame for one of his line. But first he had to quiet her and stop her struggling. He didn't want to hurt himself while he seeded her. He hated being hurt, that is why he preferred the ranged weapons and rarely initiated _jehdin/jehdin._ Gathering a new idea, he tore the ceremonial neck protector from the female's neck. Tossing the elaborate bone-and-stone neck piece aside he took both his hands and placed them around her neck. Slowly he began to apply pressure to her windpipe. Slowly the female stopped her screaming, but never stopped the guttural growl that resonated deep within her.

Satisfied that she was now reasonably controlled Al'brk'vix unclasped the sash that held her dress around her midsection with one hand, the other still residing on her throat. Her scent was sweet. The breeding season was about to start and she smelled ready for it already. He trilled his pleasure as he moved lower on her body. The sight of her lower region almost sent him over the edge. He dipped his head lower to her and let his long, prehensile tongue wander over her opening. Her taste was as intoxicating as her temper. Al'brk'vix knew he would be able to taste her for days after this mating.

Pulling away reluctantly, Al'brk'vix quickly reached for the clasp on his own cloth. As it fell away his pulsing erection sprang free. Grunting at the two unBloods to watch the female closely he released his hand from her throat. She was no long struggling as violently as she was before, but she still growled. Many females growled throughout mating so Al'brk'vix did not worry. He gripped her hips as he prepared the sheath himself inside her. Al'brk'vix snarled at her as he forced himself inside her. He quickly withdrew from her and just as quickly plunged himself in her again. She had not been aroused beforehand and the passage was dry. That, however, would not prevent the creation of his children. Al'brk'vix continued to stare at the female snarling as he pounded into her. Her passage became slippery as her body released her juices to aid the male. The purely physical reaction of her body seemed to enrage the female and she began struggling again.

Her attempts to throw Al'brk'vix off only forced him deeper into her. As she rose to meet him, Al'brk'vix found his release and felt the tension that had been building since the day he met her was released with his seed. Feeling the filth of the male within her, the female howled her ire at the yautja that was pulling himself out of her.

Al'brk'vix panted as he once again straddled his female. She would be his and now that she was seeded, she would carry his child. She had to realize that, but she kept fighting. Vicious hisses and snarls left her as she refused to speak to the vile males that had violated her. Al'brk'vix was not afraid though. He just had to stop her fighting again. Pulling himself up her body he let his now limp penis trail along her stomach. He paused there to look down. His child would grow there. She would birth a strong whelp for him. Looking back up at her face, he saw the violent temper that attracted him to her in the first place. He replaced his hands at her throat and squeezed. He would quiet her long enough for her to see reason. Her fighting clouded his mind. All he saw was a writhing female under him as he held his hands tight against her windpipe. His instincts took over as she kept fighting, no longer just for release but for air. Al'brk'vix did not release his hold, so far gone was he that he didn't notice her face draining of its natural color. She kept struggling for several minutes before the deprivation of air began to take its toll on her. Her struggles and growls became weaker and weaker until, with one final hiss of defiance, they ceased completely.

Wrk'va approached the scene from the east and addressed Al'brk'vix, _"Ki'cte. _Al'brk'vix, that is enough. What have you done?" Wrk'va pulled his leader off of the female and bent down to place a hand on her chest. Already his mask was showing a fading heat signature, but the certainty of the information was not confirmed until he touched the female's still chest. Feeling no heart beat he whirled on Al'brk'vix who was replacing his armor and weapons and continued, "We have to leave. Several passing females heard the commotion and are sending for an arbitrator. We have to get out of here now. If Esh'ta finds us here, he will kill us."

"Let him come," countered Al'brk'vix calmly. "That old male can't defeat me," he continued as he reacquired his weapons, most notably his shoulder mounted plasma cannon.

"I most certainly can," a deep bass voice rumbled from the shadows of the trees. A large shape stepped into the four Bad Bloods view, revealing an armor-clad warrior. The new male stood 7'4" and was massively built. Covered in scars and decorated with small bones and skulls, the warrior was obviously an experienced veteran. He wore only one visible weapon, his _ki'cti-pa,_ wrist blades. Undoubtedly there were other weapons hidden on his person. The ornate pewter-colored armor had several hidden scabbards to hide various blades, and the black cape flowing down the newcomer's back was perfect for hiding a _ki'its-pa_, spear. The only weapon that was, not surprisingly, completely missing was the shoulder mounted plasma caster. A master of combat had to handicap himself after all.

"Esh'ta!" exclaimed a startled Al'brk'vix.

"I do know my own name, you dishonorable _s'yuit-de_. You are an incredibly stupid one. Did you honestly think that you could rape and kill the daughter of an elder and get away with it?" mocked Esh'ta. "You and your pathetic cohorts will be dealt with here and now. If I were you I would consider the manner of my death. You can save some of your honor by ending your life now. I have no wish to dirty my hands or weapons with your filthy blood."

During this exchange the three other Bad Bloods began to back away from the two aggressive adversaries. Already the area was saturated with the smell of _h'sui'se,_ musk. Esh'ta turned his head slightly for his mask to record the images of the three other yautja who had helped their Leader commit such a heinous act. He was not surprised to see Wrk'va here. He was always a follower, never one to question orders, some thought of him as an idiot, but an excellent fighter and hunter none the less. The two unBloods he could not place, but they would be dealt with anyway. This distraction was all the opening that the smaller male needed.

With a roar of fury, Al'brk'vix charged at the distracted Arbitrator. Not being caught completely off guard Esh'ta jumped into the air and somersaulted over the enraged younger warrior. Slashing with his _ki'cti-pa,_ he only managed to score a small cut on the arm of his opponent. Landing behind Al'brk'vix, Esh'ta turned as the Bad Blood did. Crouching into _hiju_ position he flared his mandibles and reached for the _ki'its-pa_ under his cape. Bringing it around in front of him, he extended the compact spear to its full length. Every blade on it gleamed in the moonlight, the hanging decorations danced with the motion of Esh'ta's movements. There was no mistaking that this was a deadly weapon, one that had been used successfully on many adversaries.

"Care to try again," challenged Esh'ta. "Or are you too much of a coward. That new cut would make a great matching scar to the one on your hand …if you were to live past tonight."

Al'brk'vix balked momentarily at the challenge of the Arbitrator. The respite was only momentary when he remembered what was sitting perched on his shoulder. The powerful plasma cannon was almost overkill at this range, not to mention an unfair advantage over an opponent that only had close range weapons. But then, Al'brk'vix was not above taking or making an unfair advantage. Smirking behind his mask, he activated his laser targeting system and took aim at the challenging Arbitrator.

A surprised hiss escaped Esh'ta. Surely, Al'brk'vix was not so dishonorable to fire his weapon when his opponent had only hand weapons. Almost too late, Esh'ta heard the distinctive whir right before the weapon discharged. Leaping to the right he barely managed to get out of the way of the super-heated ball of gas as it raced to his former position. The searing heat left his left leg smoldering as the plasma bolt raced past him. Recovering and leaping again all in one fluid motion, Esh'ta avoided another shot from Al'brk'vix's cannon. Now seriously regretting not bringing at least a net gun Esh'ta made a final dodge to avoid a third white hot bringer of death. Even as he thought of it, a net shot out from the side of Al'brk'vix and snared him. He hit the ground hard and as he struggled the net holding him began to wind itself tighter.

With his only obstacle to escape now pinned down Al'brk'vix grinned evilly. Wrk'va had perfect aim with that net gun. Stalking up to the now helpless Esh'ta, Al'brk'vix retrieved the dropped _ki'its-pa._ Studying it leisurely now, he examined the decorations more closely. He noted the small bones, feathers and pieces of furred pelt that adorned its handle. He also noted the engravings.

Turning to the still form of Esh'ta, Al'brk'vix said, "It will make a fine addition to my arsenal." Receiving only a growl in reply, he took aim with the laser sights situated over by his right eye. Esh'ta however, was not ready to give up just yet. Unbeknownst to Al'brk'vix, Esh'ta unsheathed a knife from a hidden spot near where his hand was pinned. As Al'brk'vix aimed at the prone form of Esh'ta he smiled inside. The knife began to slice through the netting on the side farther away from the Bad Blood, but just as the net came free enough for Esh'ta to wriggle away Al'brk'vix fired his weapon.

The deadly fire shot point blank range into its target. There was no avoiding the projectile this time. Esh'ta went down hard. A large greenish-black hole in his chest smoked where the plasma had melted his armor and devoured its way through his heart and out his back. He fell to the ground dead.

Wrk'va shook himself out of his stupor and approached the agitated Al'brk'vix. "We have to leave NOW, Leader. Get a ship and get off the planet. They will send another Arbitrator when Esh'ta does not return. There will be _m-di h'chak_ granted when they have seen what we have done. Bad enough killing an elder's daughter, but to kill an Arbitrator."

"Yes. We will leave now. There is nothing to be gained by remaining here," Al'brk'vix stated sharply as he turned and stalked off to the field that the ships were gathered in. "There is plenty of prey across the galaxy, and I know the perfect place to go for a Hunt."

**Setg'-in Clan mother ship in orbit over yautja home world**

The council of elders exited the hangar leaving two of their own to speak with the Arbitrator before his mission. As the two males and three females left the hanger of the larger ship the elder female and male turned to the younger Arbitrator. The first to speak was the male.

"Bring my daughter's killer the justice he deserves young warrior," Hin'lig commanded as he looked down at the eager warrior. "Glory and honor await you on this hunt."

"The last known trajectory of the Bad Blood ship has been downloaded into your ship's navigational computer," added the elder female coolly. With a brusque nod Hin'lig reached for the Arbitrator's shoulder and shook it slightly. When the action was returned Hin'lig turned and left the docking bay. The last two occupants watched the old male leave, when at last the female turned back to the Arbitrator.

"Thread cautiously my son," the older female warned. "You must be _setg'-in,_ deadly and quick like our Clan name. You must also be kwei, sly and tricky. This Al'brk'vix does not fight with honor. You will have to outsmart him to defeat him."

"Mother, I shall bring honor to myself and our clan. The _s'yuit-de_ will be meeting Cetanu soon," spoke the Arbitrator confidently as he strode up the ramp onto his ship. "And I will return the _ki'its-pa_ that you gave father. It will be returned to its rightful owner."

"Vek'rin'ka, come back home safe. This Bad Blood is _h'ulij-bpe_," the elder embraced her favorite son before releasing him to continue on his way. "I pray that Paya blesses you on this hunt with much honor and many trophies."

"Mother," a slightly embarrassed Vek'rin'ka started, "I will return with everything that I need." Turning from his mother, Vek'rin'ka boarded his ship and closed the hatch. Once the bay was clear the technicians decompressed the space and opened the doors that would allow the small ship to exit.

Once clear of the mother ship the small craft accelerated until it entered hyperspace. The last traces of it remained in a flash of light for several seconds as the ships hyper drive engines engaged. Then there was nothing.

**Miami MetroPark, Miami, Florida, USA**

A dark figure skulked around the park. It had only been a few minutes since a brace of strung out crack heads had passed by. The lonely figure surely did not wish to be found at the moment. Glancing at the bundle of generic Wal-Mart brand blankets at his feet he relived the last week in vivid detail. The girl had been perfect. Her small body had never been touched, never tainted until he had had her himself. The look of innocence when she was delivered almost caused him to loose control. That had happened more often recently. He was getting reckless. If he didn't compose himself soon, he wouldn't be a free man much longer.

Still, her appearance when she was delivered had been divinely innocent. He had followed his same routine as with the other girls. He befriended them quickly, they were so eager to finally talk to some one who spoke Spanish. He had learned their likes and dislikes. That game was always fun to play. Then he had shown them what friends do for each other. Their small bodies were exquisite. Soft with youth not yet hardened by a harsh life. Everything from their hands to their mouths to their bottoms. Oh, how he had enjoyed this one when he had initiated her into womanhood.

He had waited as the sun set beyond the city's skyline. As the darkness crept up the only occupants of the forlorn park aside from the quiet man were the junkies enjoying their fix and the homeless drunks who couldn't get into the shelter just down the street. As the drunks bed themselves down in the bushes to avoid the often psychotic episodes of the junkies the quiet man heard a rustling behind him.

"Occupied," he hissed vehemently at the intruder.

"Shurry mun," slurred the staggering man trying to push his way into the thicket. "Ishn't room for two ish there?"

"No," the quiet man spat. "Get lost. Find your own place." With that the drunk stumbled off to find a more hospitable place to bed down for the night. The quiet man turned back to surveying the goings on in the park. Scarcely ten minutes passed before he decided where to leave his package. The now-defunct fountain in the park courtyard would be perfect. Forsaken beauty, perfect for his former treasure. The stone dolphin, whose snout had spilled water in better times, that sat in the middle of the fountain was a perfect monument to the angel at his feet. She had loved looking at the dolphins when she first arrived. That is where he would lay her to rest. It suited her. And he was terribly sorry in his own sick way for the last thing he had done to her. He would no longer be able to enjoy her or pleasure her.

With most of the drunks passed out or close to it and the junkies merrily along their own private trips the quiet man got up. Pulling the toque down over his ears, making sure that his hair was completely covered he drew his over sized jacket closer. Picking up the bundle he cradled it as if it were glass. Slithering out of the thicket he limped over to the fountain. With a final look at the precious cargo he placed it reverently down next to the fountain, under the dolphin's protective eye. He had loved this girl after all. It wasn't until she called for her mommy that he had become angry. She couldn't see what he was giving her. Her mother could never love her the way he did. Her mother sold her. How could that be love? He was the only one who could truly love his girls. Without looking back he turned and limped away, as he had done with the other girls. There would be others.

**Detective Cassandra Hadley's Home**

"You're going to play it, right Auntie Cass?" asked the inquisitive 8-year-old.

"Well, let's see. Did you brush your teeth?" asked Cass with a mockingly authoritative tone.

"Yep," was the simple reply.

"Had your bath?" continued the aunt.

"10-4," the young girl answered imitating her aunt's police lingo.

"Put your clothes in the hamper?" came the next question.

"Uh-huh," replied the girl with blazing green eyes and flaming red hair.

"Did your homework?"

"It's summer holidays," the young Sonya giggled almost uncontrollably.

"Oh, that's right. How on earth could I have forgotten it was summer holidays," teased the older woman while she mockingly smacked herself in the forehead. "OK, how about brushed hair?"

Rolling her eyes, young Sonya answered "Yes, but why? It just gets messed up again when I go to bed."

"It makes the tangles easier to get rid of in the morning. OK, but I want my hug and kiss now, and then you get under the covers."

The small girl jumped up and flung herself off the bed at her aunt. Cass caught her in midair and returned the strangling bear hug that was threatening to cut off her air. Sonya pulled her head out of her smothering grip and kissed Cass on the cheek and slid back down to the bed.

Once the weight had been removed from her arms, Cass bent down to tuck the child into her Disney Princess bedding. Once Sonya was comfortably tucked in for the night Cass retrieved her old, battered guitar from the overstuffed, pink chair that occupied a corner of the room. Taking time to tune the instrument she strummed each string and played a few chords before commencing with the show of the evening.

When Cass was satisfied that the guitar was properly tuned she struck a chord and began to play. It was their nightly ritual, and had been for the last four years, since Sonya came to live with her aunt. Both Cass and Sonya loved this song, and it perfectly described their relationship. While Cass wasn't Sonya's mother, she was the closest thing Sonya's could have. And they would always be close.

As the guitar found its niche Cass began to sing. The notes and lyrics were as familiar to her as the guitar in her hands. The words began to flow and soon both family members were drawn into the song completely.

_May the good lord be with you  
Down every road you roam  
And may sunshine and happiness  
Surround you when you're far from home  
And may you grow to be proud  
Dignified and true _

Finishing the last chorus of _Forever Young_ Cass turned to Sonya. The young girl was already asleep, snuggled tightly under her pink comforter despite the heat. Sunset had not diminished it in the least. Shaking her head knowing where the comforter would be in the morning Cass left the room and shut the door.

No sooner had the latched clicked into place but Cass's cell phone rang. Hurrying to her bed room to get it before Sonya woke up again, Cass snatched up the annoying device as she quickly looked at the call display. Reading Gerold's name she quickly answered.

"Cass, we have another one," came the husky voice of the man on the other end. "We need you down at Miami MetroPark now."

"Damn it. Do we have an ID yet?" asked Cass.

"I can't give out any information over this line. Captain Adams doesn't want anything done over radio or cell phone at the moment. He said something about a possible leak in the department," Gerold informed his partner. "Just get down here."

"Fine," Cass huffed. "I'll be there ASAP. Just let me get changed." Cass closed the phone and thought to herself 'leaks from the department? What's going on?' Quickly changing into a more formal suit she stopped at her friends's room and rapped on the door.

"Joan, I got called in. It looks like it's going to be a long night," Cass said through the door.

The door opened and Joan looked at Cass with sympathy. "It's the same case isn't Cass?"

"Yes," responded Cass defeatedly. "We haven't gotten any new leads. Hell, we haven't gotten any leads, period. This sicko could be living right next door, and we wouldn't even know it."

"Don't worry, you'll get him. And then he will pay, and pay, and pay."

"I hope you're right about that," said Cass as she ended the conversation. Turning down the hall she grabbed her truck's keys off the table by the door and was gone into the night.

The hunt had begun.


	2. Intriguing Hunter

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Two: Intriguing Hunter

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count: **4667

**MetroPark**

Cass and her partner, Gerold MacKenzie, stood aside as the crime scene investigators recovered what evidence they could. There was precious little that they could see, the consensus being that anything of value would be trace found on the body itself. The normally dark park was lit up with half a dozen flood lights and the blinking lights from the police cars and ambulance. The two detectives observed the forensics team with despair.

"This is number seven isn't it," questioned Cass.

Gerold simply nodded an affirmative. As a father of two girls this kind of scene just pushed him closer to retirement faster. While he wanted to grieve for the little life that had been snuffed out like nothing this night his professionalism would not permit it. If not for him and Cass who would speak for her? Who would bring her killer, her torturer to justice? Pausing briefly to collect himself he started telling Cass what he knew of their latest victim.

"Same rough physical description as all the others. Perp seems to have a thing for thin Columbian girls. Petite, dark hair, brown eyes, between six and eight years old as far as I can tell," he summarized. "God damned perv," he cursed under his breath before continuing. "She was wrapped in a white sheet. Same brand as the others. Available in any big box store and sold in bulk." Sighing heavily Gerold knew the futility of trying to trace the origins of such an item to its purchaser. Another dead end. Whoever this guy was, he knew enough about forensics to be dangerous.

Walking up to the pair of detectives, FBI profiler Joeseph RunningWolf looked just as down trodden as the other two. Acknowledging Gerold, he turned to the lead detective. "The UNSUB is still following the same pattern. There is one anomaly though. The first six were found in a more industrial area about 2 miles from here. We're not too far away, but changing the location of the body disposal could mean other changes in behavior."

"Like what," growled Gerold. The apprehension in his voice almost made the profiler step back.

"Most likely," Joeseph paused briefly, "it could mean an escalation in violence, or a shorter time that he holds these girls."

"So the bad news just keeps coming," Cass said stepping in. "Do we have any way to ID her at least?" Both men looked at their feet, ashamed that they could not even help name this girl. "Great."

"Well, we know from the others that she is probably from South America, Columbia most likely. Used as a mule to smuggle in cocaine, then sold into the sex trade," Joseph informed the two detectives.

"The FBI knows this and does nothing to stop it?" asked Gerold angrily.

"It's not that they don't try to stop it, they do. But resources are spread so thin right now that it is impossible to look for everything. Things slip through the cracks," Joeseph said defending his employer although he felt the same way.

"Things didn't slip through the cracks this time," Cass stated. "A child did."

Striding up to the trio Captain Stephen Adams addressed the group, "The vultures have already caught wind of this victim. I need some information to give them now, before they start making up their own stories." Gesturing to the waiting media vans, "Do we have anything to give them?"

The strobing lights of the police cars at the entrance to the park, plus a lone ambulance that would not be needed anymore, reflected off the sides of the news vans from each of the major networks and 24-hour news radio stations. The chaos was held at bay outside the yellow police tape. Inside that barrier the orderly evidence gathering of the technicians was interrupted by the arrival of the medical examiner. The dark van marked "Coroner" pulled up to the police tape as the crowd around it was cleared away by the uniformed beat cops. The young doctor got out of the driver's seat and walked up to the head CSI and listened to his report of the scene before proceeding over to the covered body.

Pulling the sheets back to examine the body of the young girl, she steeled herself to the feeling of sorrow that always came to her when she had to examine a child. She had promised herself long ago that the day that feeling didn't come was the day she would quit her job. As she collected the data that would help her determine the time and possible cause and location of death Cass separated from Gerold, Adams and RunningWolf. Walking up to the ME, cautiously avoiding anything that had been tagged as possible evidence, Cass crouched down beside her.

"Anything you can tell us, doc," asked Cass.

Turning to face the detective the ME nodded. "Liver temp tells me that she died between five and five-and-a-half-hours ago. Anything else will have to wait until a full autopsy is performed," the disgust was think in her voice and only got thicker. "I can confirm that there is evidence that she was abused. Bruising on the inside of the thighs, around her arms, and what looks like a hand print around her throat. Several older bruises on her face, like she has been used as a punching bag for a couple days. Fits with the profile, but then again, nothing is positive until I perform the autopsy. With the change in location, it could be a copy cat."

"Not likely, the white sheet was our hold back. A copy cat couldn't have know about it unless he was at all the crime scenes before we got there, but you better go back and tell Adams that," Cass suggested. "He looks a little impatient, the reporters are breathing down his neck already," she continued waving her hand towards the older man tapping his foot waiting for them.

"Probably right," the doctor replied looking at the captain herself. Summoning her assistants to collect the body for transport to the morgue the ME moved away to talk with the captain of the special victims unit. As the assistants arrived to remove the body to the waiting coroner's vehicle Cass took a final look at the little girl. Heaving a sigh she studied the small face. She would etched every detail into her memory like she had all the other victims she had worked cases on. Silently she pledged to the little girl 'I promise to find whoever did this to you, I promise.'

The attendants finished placing the girl, known only as Precious Doe #7, inside the black body bag. The zipper hissed as it was drawn to close the bag. Carefully the burden was lifted onto the gurney that would take it to the waiting vehicle. Remaining where she was crouched, Cass reflected on the new circumstances of her case.

After a few moments Cass stood up and was about to go to her truck to head back to the station. There was much to do tonight, and she was bone tired already. Suddenly she heard a snap in the brush. Had it been on the ground she would have dismissed it as possibly a drunk missed in the sweep to clear out the park, but this was from above her head. Like it was in a tree. She looked up at the dying tree off to her left. In the tree she saw a shimmering wave that didn't look like it belonged there. The branch below it was slightly bowed. Rubbing her eyes she looked again, but the shimmer was gone and the branch blew gently in the breeze that had made its way inland from the ocean. She quickly dismissed what she saw as a heat distortion from the incredibly hot weather that they had been having for weeks and the stress of the case getting to her. She had already decided she was taking Sonya on a trip once this case was over.

Cass turned toward her truck and spotted Captain Adams still talking with the media. Gerold and RunningWolf had already headed off to the prescient, and were probably waiting for her. With nothing left to do at the scene except get underfoot she made her way to her dark blue Chevy. She slid in behind the wheel and flicked off the flashing red light on the dashboard. Pulling it off, she replaced it under the seat and drove to her squad's office.

Uniformed cops had picked up several park regulars, including the one that had flagged down the patrol car. There were many people throughout the department hoping that these people had seem something, ANYTHING that would help them. Cass didn't hold out much hope. That particular park was notorious for being home to nothing but hard core drunks and junkies. The chance of gleaning any useful information from any of them was negligible. Sighing again she made her way to the observation room of one of the interview rooms.

Gerold and RunningWolf were in the room pouring coffee down the throat of the bum that had flagged down the cruiser. The guy was a regular to the Vice squad. A man who hadn't fallen from grace too long ago, but the alcohol took everything quickly. The running joke among Vice was that all the coffee in a Dunkin' Donuts couldn't sober this guy up. Still, he was the first to see the body. Of course, that is after he claimed that an alien had stepped on him in his sleep.

Turning away Cass went to interview another of the group. Picking the one that looked the most lucid of the group she escorted the 18-year-old heroin addict down to the second interview room. Flipping through a file that accompanied the girl Cass began asking questions.

"It says here that you were lying on the bench not 20 feet away from the body when the police arrived. You had to have seen something," Cass started.

"I didn't see nothin'. I was trippin'," the strung-out girl countered.

"Yes, you probably were. At least, that is what the needle near you when you were found would tell us. When did you shoot up?"

"I don't know. Sometime after the park closed. It was still light out."

"And you didn't see anyone carrying around a bundle of sheets."

The girl looked at the detective like she had two heads. "Have you been down there recently? All the drunks carry their bedding around. Business as usual."

"But you didn't see anyone approach the fountain at all?"

"No one but this old cripple. Crazy one. Wearing a toque and parka in THIS heat? Dude was seriously nuts. Then I must have tripped out again, next thing I know, cops are hauling me off to a car."

"This old cripple, what was he wearing?"

"I don't know. I had better things to do. Dude just kind of limped past. I just noticed the parka. Guy must have thought he was in Alaska or Canada or something."

"Hair color, eyes, skin? Anything?"

"Nah. Can I go now?"

Sighing, Cass noted she had been doing that a lot recently; she got up to escort the junkie out. Nothing was found on her, and she was reasonably coherent now so she couldn't be held in custody. She noticed the sun coming up, a new day dawning. Finding Gerold with a different drunk she told him she was going to go home and she'd be back later that night.

XXXXX

**Outside Miami SVU **

Vek'rin'ka was attracted to the lights and noise and commotion of the scene at the park. There were many places that the small vehicles with the armed _oomans_ screamed in the night, but the added noise from the ambulance and eventually the communications vehicles were enough to get his attention. He figured that if the Bad Blood pack he was tracking was in the area they would be attracted to it as well.

Vek'rin'ka didn't pay much attention to the _oomans_ as he scanned the area for other yautja signals. When the larger members of the group moved away he saw a small bundle that they all seemed to be avoiding touching. Scanning closer his mask made out the form of a small child. The child was most certainly _thei-de_, had been for several hours. Why was it here though? Should it not be with its mother who was most certainly grieving over loosing one of her offspring?

Before Vek'rin'ka could scan more deeply two more _oomans_, ones who clearly possessed some form of authority, walked up to the body. The larger of the pair was tense. Vek'rin'ka was too far away to scent its pheromones, but undoubtedly it was upset at the death of the child. The smaller one seemed to be in charge as the larger deferred to it. Setting his mask to scan more closely, he made a discovery. The smaller was female. No wonder the larger one, revealed to be male, was deferring to her. It was the natural order of things for females to be in charge. They were smarter than males after all, and the future of any species.

Armed _oomans_ were moving through the bushes rousting the intoxicated ones. Vek'rin'ka had accidentally stepped on one of them earlier and woken it. The smell of intoxication was so strong on the man that Vek'rin'ka doubted he would remember his sleep's interruption. Vek'rin'ka's only task right now was to find Al'brk'vix and his pack and deal with them. Alerting the _oomans_ to his presence would only complicate things. Al'brk'vix, however, was being difficult to find. He left plenty of bodies behind, but neither he nor his ship could be found. Not any trace of them.

Climbing silently into a large tree near the center of the _ooman's_ focused attention Vek'rin'ka observed another one approach the child's body. This one was also female and flanked by two more _oomans_. The two that were next to the body previously had moved off and were conversing with two others. The new female started examining the body and the punctured it with a long slender instrument. Vek'rin'ka prickled at such desecration of a child's body but didn't move. He watched as the first female approached the second. They communicated in their own language before the second female moved away. The first female stayed as the body was wrapped and taken way. It looked as if she was PRAYING over the body!_ Oomans_ didn't pray. From what Vek'rin'ka had been taught about them they possessed no sense of honor nor did they possess the capacity to act selflessly. Asking the gods to watch over a departed spirit was not something they would do. This one, however, was a female. Only the males had been studied to date, so maybe she was different.

This _ooman's_ actions intrigued Vek'rin'ka. He decided to learn more about _ooman_ females while on the planet. That was, of course, after he had dealt with the pack of Bad Bloods. His code of honor prevented him from hunting any of the females, unless they attacked him, but he could still learn about them. The new information would be added to the mother ship's databases to aid future expeditions to this planet.

As the activity in the park began to die down Vek'rin'ka shifted on the branch he was standing on. The sudden movement caused the branch to creak. He noticed the female looking up into the tree he was watching from. _Pauk_, he cursed in his mind as he slipped off the branch and back onto the ground quietly. He used the trunk of the tree as an extra shield from the prying eyes of the armed _oomans_ around the area.

Sneaking through the park, Vek'rin'ka made his way to the edge before climbing onto the roof of a building. Looking over the edge he saw his subject climb into a vehicle and leave the area. He armed a tracking device and fired it off with his spear gun. The tiny tracking device embedded itself in the corner of the flat, open area in the back. Now at least he could find her again if he lost her now.

While Vek'rin'ka was adjusting his mask's controls to accommodate keeping the tracking signal active he was interrupted. A low growl started to emanate from behind him. Turning quickly he say the heat signature of another yautja. Three other signatures quickly joined the first on the rooftop.

"Getting sloppy, Vek'rin'ka," the growl's owner mocked.

"And you stay the same Al'brk'vix. Never could face anyone, always coming up behind them," Vek'rin'ka snarled back. "Tell me. Is that how to managed to kill Shalna?"

With an enraged snarl Al'brk'vix signaled to his two smaller companions. Both fairly flew at Vek'rin'ka. One extended his modified _ki'cti-pa _and dove at Vek'rin'ka's muscled legs. Extending his own _ki'cti-pa_ Vek'rin'ka easily parried the attack from the low assault. The other unBlooded warrior drew a _ki'its-pa _from its place on his back. Extending it as he charged at the occupied Arbitrator, he followed through the motion to bring it down on the shoulders of the larger warrior.

After parrying the attack of the first unBlooded, Vek'rin'ka sidestepped and brought his wrist blades up to block the blow from the bladed staff. The younger fighter tried to force the larger warrior back while his companion recovered. Using his free hand, Vek'rin'ka grabbed the staff trying to bear down on him. Ripping it out of the stunned adolescent's hands he spun it and parried another attack from behind him. Swinging his _ki'cti-pa_ at the unarmed yautja he forced the youngster to jump to the side, ending up landing precariously close to the edge of the building. Spinning to counter another attack from the second unBlooded, he brought the appropriated staff down with a slash that would have sliced the young idiot's throat. Choosing to show a little prowess, Vek'rin'ka merely left a shallow cut on the poor excuse for an opponent's throat.

Continuing the spin, Vek'rin'ka lowered the _ki'its-pa_ and leveled it to collide with the legs of the other yautja that was preparing to attack him with a _kainde amedha_ dagger. Tripping up the pathetic fighter, Vek'rin'ka hissed at the defeated adversary.

"_Nan-deThan-guan,"_ Vek'rin'ka snarled at the prone form before plunging the staff into the unBlooded's chest. Turning back on the other whose throat he had cut he knew that finishing this one off would be _gkei'moun_-an easy mission. Discarding the _ki'its-pa_ in his hand, he brought out his own. The bladed ends extended to their full six-and-a-half foot length with an ominous snick. A single piece of black chitinous armor hung from its handle.

The remaining unBlooded yautja stood his ground, one hand on his throat to staunch the flow of blood. Vek'rin'ka scoffed at the display of weakness. The wound was barely superficial, yet this little pup was acting as if it would kill him. Vek'rin'ka wasn't going to make it that easy. He waited patiently until the younger warrior realized what he wanted him to do.

It finally dawned on the young yautja. Seizing the last shreds of his courage the young male charged again at the older warrior. The open frontal assault disgusted Vek'rin'ka. There was no wonder that this male was not a Blooded warrior. His skill was severely lacking. Even if an Elder had given him an assignment to a _Kainde Amedha Chiva_ this little _s'yuit-de_ would never survive. He had obviously not earned the weapons he had or the armor he wore.

Dodging the over powered charge, Vek'rin'ka brought his _ki'its-pa_ around and slammed the sharp tip into the back of the rushing target. The momentum pulled Vek'rin'ka around to face the space that Al'brk'vix and his second, Wrk'va, had occupied at the beginning of the fight.

Before realizing that the other half of his quarry was gone Vek'rin'ka spoke in victory, "_Nain-desintje-de." _ Looking over the roof and switching through the vision modes on his visor he could not spot the other two Bad Bloods. "_Cjit_, how does he keep doing that?" He cursed at himself for letting Al'brk'vix get away again.

Vek'rin'ka searched for the trail thoroughly. The lack of any sign of Al'brk'vix frustrated Vek'rin'ka beyond anything he had ever experienced. The constant scent of something else disconcerted him as well. It smelt like an _ooman_, and if seemed to follow him everywhere. It lingered in the places he visited more than once. It was almost comical to believe that an _ooman _was tracking him. He would have to keep a sharper eye out from now on. Deciding it would be best if he took a break from his fruitless endeavor he turned his attention to the softly blipping indicator in the corner of his mask's visor. The tracking device showed that the vehicle it had been planted on was stationary near one of the armed _ooman's _bases.

Vek'rin'ka reached the building as the sun started its ascent. Spotting the vehicle parked in front of the building he started scanning the interior with the advanced thermal settings on his mask. The image of the female was stored in the mask's operating computer both as a thermal and visible spectrum image; however, the solid walls of the building made the visible spectrum scan pretty useless.

Not finding his target Vek'rin'ka kept scanning grumbling that it just was not his day. The program he had set to monitor the tracking device interrupted his thoughts with a quiet beat. Checking the tracker he was informed that the vehicle had started to move. Looking down at the street he spotted the truck pulling away from the curb. Quickly descending the building, he sprinted across the vacant sidewalk. Before the vehicle could accelerate away he grabbed onto the back of it. Still running, he quickly pulled himself into the cargo area. The large truck hit a pot hole as he landed on the exposed flat surface disguising any possible shifting on the vehicle's suspension. Bracing against the sides he lay down to avoid exposing himself to the buffeting winds created by the speed of the vehicle. Savoring the heat from the dark surface as it collected the sunlight he settled in to enjoy the ride.

After the seemingly endless jolting ride, Vek'rin'ka felt the vehicle slow and turn. It came to a complete stop in front of another building. This one was smaller than the ones cluttered toward the center of the city and there were many of them spaced out. Here, the adult _oomans_ were greatly outnumbered by the children. It's a residential area, the realization dawned on him.

As the female got out of the vehicle Vek'rin'ka remained perfectly still until he heard the female move away from the vehicle. Climbing quietly out of the vehicle he made his way over to more substantial cover. He scaled a leafy tree next to the home and tried to make himself even more inconspicuous against the trunk.

Sufficiently sure that he would not be spotted by the younglings that were active in the area Vek'rin'ka scanned the building for his subject. Through a window near his perch he spotted a small _ooman_ gathering equipment. His interest was peaked when he saw the little one add a narrow club to the collection of things she was added to a bag. Combat training? For one so young? And why would a mother risk her life being a warrior when she had a young one to care for? It didn't seem to fit that the male would stay home to care for the young. They were typically the warriors of the _oomans_.

Vek'rin'ka's thermal scans showed the female he had been following was in a washing room pouring water over herself. The thermal imagery was distorted somewhat from the hot water that was cascading down from the facet in the wall. The ritual was fascinatingly different from his culture that preferred taking leisurely baths. Not particularly wanting to watch such a boring event he turned back to the window to the child's room. Abruptly another adult female walked into the room and started conversing with the child. Dismissing the new female as an _aseigan_ by the way she went about doing the simple domestic chores, he figured the warrior human to be the dominant female of the house, and the mother of the child. The _aseigan_ was probably used to take care of the child when its mother was out of the house, though he still could not understand why the female would risk orphaning her child by being a warrior. He had seen reports and studies of how the males of this species did not discriminate between their victims. They, in fact, often sought out those they perceived as weaker than them. A dishonorable way of life.

XXXXX

"Sonya, are you almost ready, dear?" Joan asked her young charge.

"Almost, is Auntie Cass going to come?" the youngster replied without looking around to her nanny.

"Yep," Joan answered. "She's taking you there herself and she's going to introduce you to someone."

Once Sonya was finished packing she grabbed the bag and headed down the stairs. The nanny set the bundle of clothes onto the dresser to put away after she made breakfast for her charge and turned to leave the room.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka watched as the warrior female and child left the home with the bag. He followed at a discreet distance observing their interaction. It was obviously a mother/pup relationship. The pair led him to an open area with many other pups and their parents running around, both mothers and fathers. The _ooman_ warrior's charge ran to join the other children gathered in two groups around a square field that was fenced off from spectators by a metal mesh.

Shortly, two other adult _oomans_ split the group of children in two and walked to two different sides of the field. The children from one side of the field ran out and took up positions around the square shape drawn on the ground and spread out behind it. The other group sent one of theirs up one at a time with a club. The child in the center of the field would through a round object at the child holding a club, who would then try to hit it.

It was a lesson in team work, the idea dawned on Vek'rin'ka as he watched the rest of the players on the field try to catch the object when it was hit. The concept of the game came quickly to him as he watched. The teams would switch off who was in the field and who was hitting. By the end of the game he had figured out that the score was determined by how many hitters had made their way around the safety bags and back to where they started. It was a good game to teach the youngsters teamwork.

While observing the game that the children played, Vek'rin'ka also watched the warrior human he had been following. Part way through the game a male joined the female he was watching. The male embraced her and she leaned into it. This must have been her mate. If she had a child she had to have a mate.

This male disturbed Vek'rin'ka though. Something about him prickled at Vek'rin'ka, though he could not put his talon on it. Moving closer, Vek'rin'ka studied the male closer. It was not until the wind shifted and brought the scent to his nose.

This _ooman_ was the sourced of the smell that had been haunting him for days.

_**Author's Note:**__ That last section was the hardest part to write. Most of this chapter was done the day after the first one. This last part where Vek was watching the game took FOUR days. _

_I haven't started the third chapter yet, so probably anther week before I update._


	3. The Hairs on the Back of My Neck

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter:** Three: The Hairs on the Back of My Neck

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count: **3438

**Metro Miami Everglades Mall**

Gregory Burns watched the young girl with her mother. She was perfect. Her long black hair shone in the lights of the gaudy display. Her brown eyes were trying to look everywhere at once. Innocence radiated off her small body.

He had followed her and her mother discreetly for almost an hour. Burns mentally admonished the young mother for being so careless. Her lack of awareness in her surroundings was a very bad thing. He would be teaching her that lesson shortly. For now, however, he was content to watch his prey.

As Burns followed the pair around the mall he scouted for opportunities. He never entered the same store at the same time. That could possibly alert the mother. He didn't want to get too close too soon. What mom lacked in environmental awareness she made up for with the iron grip on her daughter's hand. The grasp, however, was occasionally released when the mother went to pick up an odd item here or there to examine more closely. These brief moments did not go unnoticed.

Burns watched from his inconspicuous location in a store across the promenade. He knew how to lure the girl away. All he had to do was bide his time for the right moment.

Once the mother-daughter combination entered a fairly busy book store Burns followed. The daughter was exhausted from the long day in the mall. Anyone could see that. Unfortunately her mother either didn't notice or didn't care that her daughter's shorter legs didn't have the same level of endurance. The young girl's mother let go of her hand to open a large hardcover edition of a new best selling fiction novel. While wrapped up in the summary on the leaflet she did not notice her daughter wander away to the children's section despite admonishments to remain close. She also missed the handsome man approach her daughter. So wrapped up in the new book she never saw them leave together either with the promise of ice cream.

Precious minutes ticked by while she read that book. Minutes that Burns used to his advantage before the mother finally noticed that her child was no longer by her side. By the time the "Code Adam" went out through the mall Burns' black Blazer was well out of the parkade.

Pulling out of the parkade Burns thought of his newest acquisition. Sure, he had broken his own rules, especially the one about only taking in girls that would not be missed, but he wanted to toy with this female detective that had been assigned to the murders he had committed. Besides, he didn't want to wait for his contacts in Columbia to find him a new girl.

Burns had been insulted when he had found out that a woman had been assigned to his case. A simple woman who had no chance of catching him. Then an idea formed in his mind. The police were toying with him. That was all. So his demented mind decided to toy with the police. He would show this female cop, this Detective Hadley, just exactly where she belonged, and that was not behind a badge and a gun. That's right; he would show her a woman's place.

With a glance into the backseat at his "beloved" cargo he sped off to his playhouse. All ready his thoughts drifted to a means of taunting the detective.

**Ball Park**

"Honey, that was an awesome home run," Cass praised the beaming child.

"It wasn't a home run Auntie Cass. It was a grand slam," the little girl exclaimed while jumping up and shaking her fists in the air in triumph.

"Well, I stand corrected," a very proud Cass submitted.

The game was over. Sonya's team had won by two runs with she herself batting in the runs they needed to pull ahead and win the game. After all the players and coaches had shaken hands they dispersed. Sonya ran to find her aunt. She had promised an introduction and Sonya hoped that she was going to meet the man that her aunt had just started seeing.

"Sonny, hon. This is Scott Cach," Cass introduced. Scott gallantly bowed to the girl.

"Hey there. I saw that last hit. You smacked that ball right outta the park," Scott said to Sonya. At the praising comment from the new adult Sonya beamed even brighter.

"Thanks," came the modest reply. The trio walked toward the entrance of the park. Sonya and Scott were chatting it up, completely leaving Cass out of the conversation. Scott learned that Sony loved baseball and soccer. Her favorite color was pink and she hated brussel sprouts. Her favorite movie was "_Beauty and the Beast"_ but she thought that the beast looked "handsomer" before he turned back into a human. He was cute when he was fuzzy.

Sonya learned that Scott liked kids but didn't have any. His favorite pizza toppings were black olives and pepperoni. Most importantly he was a police man just like her Auntie Cass. Aside from the black olives on pizza, Sonya thought that Scott sounded like a nice guy. He even gave her a high-five for her first ever grand slam and promised to take her and her aunt out for ice cream one day.

Once the trio had reached Scott's car Cass and Sonya declined a ride home. They opted to walk the two blocks home and discuss what Sonya thought of Scott. Drawing close to home their conversation shifted to what their plans for the rest of the day were. Sonya had a summer arts class that Joan would take her to. Cass needed to get at least a couple hours of sleep before she went to back to work. She hadn't slept since before her call in the night before and she was bone tired. Feeling like someone was watching her every move wasn't helping any, either. Maybe the sleep would clear her mind a little.

**Tracking Cass and Sonya**

The children's game was entertaining to watch until the strange male showed up. After that Vek'rin'ka could not concentrate on anything but trying to figure out this male. The _ooman _leaders had been attempting to acquire his race's technology for a couple years, since they first became aware of the hunting expeditions. The tactics being used now, however, did not fit with the previous attempts. Previously, large numbers of armed _oomans_ were sent to capture the warrior. Now there was only one _ooman_ trying to track him and he was hardly armed at all.

Vek'rin'ka decided that after he had finished dealing with Al'brk'vix he would have a little fun with this _ooman_. Maybe he would return home with a new trophy after all.

Vek'rin'ka was pulled out of his thoughts when his observation subject became extremely animated by something she saw. Turning to the field he caught a glimpse of the small _ooman_ running around the field as the sphere they had been playing with flew over the rear barrier. He had lost track of which team was ahead previously, but watching the small one's team greet her at the end of her run the outcome was unmistakable. After honoring the defeated team the little one ran to her mother. She was greeted by her mother and they slapped hands in the air. It was an unusual ritual, but it apparently meant success.

The next couple moments were confusing to Vek'rin'ka. It looked as if the child was just being introduced to the male that he had assumed was her father. He wished he could get closer to hear the conversation. His broader than normal understanding of the _ooman_ language would have helped, lamentably the noise of the other children and their parents prevented him from eavesdropping on the trio. This was a new development though. Previous surveys of the planet's population showed that the males and females raised their young together, different from his own culture where the males rarely kept in contact with their offspring unless the parents were bonded as life mates. Maybe this was not the child's father after all; it could be a new potential mate that was courting the female. Perhaps he could find a way to acquire a sample of DNA from the male and the child for a paternity test, just to satisfy his curiosity.

Watching the little female chattering with the new male Vek'rin'ka had to admire her fearless spirit. She seemed to be a happy child, always animated and friendly with everyone he had seen her interact with. Vek'rin'ka did enjoy watching children. The bravado that came with age often extinguished the innocence that is often missing in the universe these days. His status as an Arbitrator provided him many opportunities to witness that lack of innocence. He would have enjoyed watching his own children grow, but they were all raised by their mothers and he had very little contact with them. Most communiqués were just notices of braiding ceremonies or whether his offspring had passed their _Kainde Amedha Chiva_ or not. However, he was too young to settle down with only one or two females. He still enjoyed the breeding season too much for that.

Seeing the three _oomans_ leave the field he followed. At the entrance the trio split up with the male making his way towards an enclosed vehicle. Before leaving the two females his hand lingered on the arm of the mother. If the male was not the father of the child, the potential mate theory was the most probable explanation.

Vek'rin'ka followed the two females back to their home. Seeing the adult settle down to rest and the child's care taken over by the _aseigan_ he left the dwelling vowing to return. For right now, though, he had a bad blood to take care of.

**Later that evening…**

Captain Adams met Cass at the entrance to the squad's office. The concern was evident in his body language and on his face as he sternly addressed his subordinate.

"Cass, my office, now," the frustrated captain said.

Unused to seeing her normally stoic boss so perturbed Cass followed immediately without question. It was not until she entered the office that she saw Gerold examining an evidence bag.

Recovering her wits Cass asked, "What's going? Gerold, what's that?"

Gerold looked at his partner, "It as note Cass. It's from the perp. And Cass, it's addressed directly to you."

Cass looked from her boss to her partner she cautiously asked, "What does it say?"

"It's a challenge Cass. He is challenging you to stop him from killing his next victim," Adams said solemnly.

"What victim? He's never had a new victim this quickly."

Gerold turned to his partner and picked up another evidence bag. "This picture came with the note," Gerold said as he passed the second evidence bag to Cass.

In the Polaroid was a young girl. Her long black hair was in tangles and her eyes were swollen and red from crying. The flash of the camera reflected off the silver duct tape wrapped around her mouth and the set of handcuffs that held her hands over her head. Cass's heart broke when she looked at the eyes in the picture. The dark brown orbs were wide with fear and blood shot from crying.

"Let me see the note," Cass finally said.

Reluctantly Gerold handed it to Cass. She looked down at the plain white sheet of paper. It read"

**"Dear Detective Hadley,**

**I would say it was a pleasure to meet you, but we haven't met yet. I must say that I was a bit insulted when you were assigned to these murders. I had hoped that the police would at least provide me with a challenge. But now that my opponent is a mere woman I really do not fear being captured.**

**However, I am interested in seeing how badly you would have fared against a real man. So I am issuing you a challenge. Find this girl by 0700 and she will be allowed to leave untouched. If you don't find her, I will have her to myself for the rest of her life.**

**I look forward to loving her."**

Cass looked up from the note. Both men in the room saw the look in her eyes. Both knew that it would be a very bad idea to get in her way right now.

"RunningWolf needs to see this," Cass more ordered than implied as she held up the letter. "He might be able to tell us more about the perp now. This," she continued holding the photo, "has to go to the lab now. Their A/V guy has to find something in it to tell us where it was taken." Fury blazed in her eyes as she started to direct all her being into finding the girl.

"We at least have an ID, this time," Adams added.

The statement caused Cass to whip around and face him again. "What?!" Cass exclaimed.

"He took her from a mall this afternoon. Her mother turned away for a couple seconds and she was gone," Gerold offered.

"Well, what's her name?" Cass snapped.

"Kristen Reca. She's four years old. Her parents are down the hall with Faulkner now, giving their statements. The mother is pretty messed up," Adams informed the two detectives.

"OK," Cass confirmed. "Gerold, get this to RunningWolf," she said handing off the note, "I'm taking this down to the crime lab myself. Call me if you get anything else."

Turning on her heel she disappeared out of the office and was gone before either man was able to stop her. The single-minded determination to catch this killer carried her all the way to the basement of the prescient before she realized it. There, housed underground, was their state-of-the-art crime lab. Cass handed over the photo to the technician on duty in the Audio/Visual department.

"Anton, I need an analysis on this right now,"

Looking around from his computer screen he took the photo from Cass. One did not question her when she was like this. As her friend Anton accepted that little behavioral quirk, even if it was a little rude.

"Good evening to you too," Anton sarcastically teased Cass as he took the photo from Cass and scanned it into his system.

Pulling the image up onto the large wall screen Anton turned back to Cass, "What do you need out of it?"

"Preferably the location it was taken at," Cass told Anton.

Turning back to the screen Anton focused on the background. If anything linking the picture with identifiable location was going to be found then it would be in the background and not on the little girl in the foreground. Using the technology at his disposal he cleared up the area behind the little girl's face. As the algorithm ran its course the background became clearer. Various crates and boxes could be seen.

"So it's a warehouse, but where? There are thousands of them in the city," Cass said to herself.

"Weren't your other victims found in an industrial/commercial area," Anton questioned.

"Yes," Cass replied, "wait a minute. What's that?" She indicated a bit of black writing on one of the shelving units. "Can you magnify that?"

"Sure thing," Anton said. "Just five me a sec." A few moments later the image was enlarged and clarified to reveal the identification written on the shelving support: "Burns International Shipping."

"Burns Shipping. Now I remember. Huge company. Old man died. Cancer I think. Son took it over when he got out of the military and it went bankrupt," Anton provided.

"And left a huge lot of warehouses near the waterfront, all pretty much abandoned. Perfect place to hide without being noticed," interrupted Cass. "Thanks Anton. I have to get this information back to Gerold. You may have just broken this case." Turning on her heel Cass ran out of the lab leaving a slightly beaming A/V tech behind his computer.

Bounding up the stairs two at a time she wasted no time in finding her partner with RunningWolf. The look they gave her was dismissed in light of the time sensitive information that had to be acted on right away.

"We have a general location," Cass huffed as she held up the photo triumphantly. "Let's go. We have to wake up a judge and get a warrant for the Burns Shipping warehouse lot."

Addressing the profiler, Gerold said, "I'll talk to you later."

Nodding to Gerold, RunningWolf turned down the hall. "Good luck," he called out over his shoulder as he made his way to the entrance to go back to his office at FBI headquarters.

**Immediately Preceding**

After leaving his captain's office Gerold thread his way to the small room that had been set up for RunningWolf. Knocking on the door as he entered Gerold found the profiler surrounded by numerous manila folders.

"Hey Joe, I have that note that came in for you to look at."

Looking up from his pile of files RunningWolf acknowledged Gerold with a nod. "Let me see it," RunningWolf said holding out a hand to take the letter from Gerold.

Gerold handed over the clear evidence bag. Carefully reading the contents of the note RunningWolf started shaking his head.

"This isn't good," RunningWolf stated. "He is escalating. His ego is beginning to lead his decisions. If we don't find him, he will only get worse."

"Cass is down at the lab. She and the techies are trying to figure out where the picture was taken."

"Picture?" RunningWolf questioned. "What was it a picture off?"

"The new vic. Handcuffed, duct-tapped. Why?"

"He's taunting her. He's not taking girls for himself anymore. His motive has changed. Abruptly."

"And?" Gerold prodded for more information.

"And he may just get careless enough to get caught. The whole reason we haven't been able to catch him is because he has planned every detail of his crime before hand. Now it is almost like he is winging it. We may benefit from the lack of planning on his part."

"Cass is working out a location now. We only have another seven hours to find the girl. If anyone has the determination to find this victim it's her."

"I hope so, but take this," RunningWolf said indicating the letter, "down to the lab. Once you have a suspect you will be able to match it to any printer he owns."

"I'll go drop it off in a minute, but there is something else I wanted to talk to you about."

RunningWolf looked at Gerold inquisitively.

"Cass started dating an agent."

"And?"

"He doesn't seem right."

"Really," skepticism crossed RunningWolf's face.

"Don't look at me like that. I know it sounds weird, but let's just call it 'cop's instinct', makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up whenever I see him. He doesn't feel right. Like he's hiding something. Can you ask around the office? Find out what kind of guy he is."

The paternal look in Gerold's eyes told RunningWolf that he was just concerned about his young partner. Nodding RunningWolf assured Gerold, "Sure, I'll ask around."

"The guy's name is Cach. Scott Cach."

"I've never heard of him myself, but I'll ask about him," RunningWolf said as he ushered the detective out of his makeshift office.

The two men were just leaving as Cass rushed up to them. "We have a location," she said.

**Office of Joeseph RunningWolf, FBI Field Headquarters**

RunningWolf had done as he had promised. Deserted though the field office may be at 1 am he asked everyone he saw if the knew an agent Cach. No one had heard of him. Finding that odd, that not one person had heard of this agent, he decided to head to his office to do a little more searching.

Switching on the computer RunningWolf logged on to the machine and began a search of the agency's personnel files. Scanning the results he could not find any agent with the name of Scott Cach, or any variation of it. Changing to another database he input the name. The results disappointed the FBI agent. He had hoped that Gerold's 'cop instinct' was wrong, but he should have known better than to question the instincts of a near 30-year veteran.

RunningWolf printed off all the non-confidential files and news reports and scrounged around for an empty file folder. Neatly assembling the papers, he left the folder containing the printed materials on his desk. Tomorrow Gerold and he would have to talk with Cass about her new boyfriend.


	4. Stalking the Hunter

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Four: Stalking the Hunter

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 3358

Al'brk'vix watched the other yautja from the roof top of a nearby house. Having tracked the so called ultimate hunter for several days he was torn between being less than impressed with the tracker's skills or pleased that the cloaking shield he had improved was working so well. He had even had Wrk'va test it a couple times. The dim warrior had come within a hair's breath of the Arbitrator. The big oaf almost blew it when he stumbled on something and nearly fell on top of Vek'rin'ka.

The heavy footsteps alerted Vek'rin'ka to another presence on the rooftop. He spun around snarling. Checking himself when he saw no one, he cycled through the vision modes on his mask. Nothing registered, but Vek'rin'ka could have sworn someone had managed to sneak up on the roof with him.

When Al'brk'vix had met up with Wrk'va back at the ship he had soundly thrashed him for being so clumsy. Thereafter, Wrk'va had been forbidden from touching anything that Al'brk'vix was working on. After that proclamation he had summarily ignored Wrk'va.

After the near catastrophe with the new cloak Al'brk'vix started to use it to track his own tracker. He had expected Vek'rin'ka to be devoting all his time to tracking his quarry. Instead, he found the Arbitrator following an _ooman _around.

Al'brk'vix originally wanted to find Vek'rin'ka and quickly deliver a white hot package to his head. However, Vek'rin'ka's intense scrutiny of the _ooman _made him change his mind. The _ooman _could be useful. He could use it to play a game with Vek'rin'ka. And Al'brk'vix loved nothing more than a game, especially one involving death.

Without the intention of killing Vek'rin'ka at the moment Al'brk'vix felt it would be prudent to slip away from his target. As he traversed the many roof tops and hard packed paths between the residential area that he had been hunting in lately he contemplated how to use the _ooman _against Vek'rin'ka. He had observed the child, but even he was not stupid enough to mess with an attentive mother's offspring. To do that would be to risk not only having an angry Arbitrator after him but a bereaved mother as well. And there is nothing in this universe more dangerous than a mother who has just lost her child.

Al'brk'vix soon found himself at the waterfront. Frustrated with not being able to think of a plan to finish Vek'rin'ka off Al'brk'vix began to prowl.

The area was pretty much deserted. The only regular inhabitants were the homeless. Though not very challenging to kill Al'brk'vix did not care. It was not the challenge or the honor that drove him to hunt. His motivation was the power over another being's life and the lust for the kill itself. The splatter of his victim's blood over his body and face was something that intoxicated him although he only got that close to his victims if they were weak or had already been incapacitated.

The people Al'brk'vix was stalking now would not put up a great struggle but they would be entertaining. He dropped in behind an _ooman_ in tattered clothes. Briefly pausing before delivering his killing blow he savored the moment. He heard its mumblings, but there was no fear. She must not have realized what was behind her Al'brk'vix concluded. Reaching out with his hand he grabbed her by the back of the neck and deftly snapped her spine with two of his fingers.

Feeling no exhilaration from the kill, Al'brk'vix was disappointed. He received no rush because his victim did not see him. She never knew what happened and she did not die with fear in her heart. Turning away he left the body where he dropped it.

Deciding to play with his next victim Al'brk'vix set off to find a target. The area was mostly empty of prey. The next few _oomans _he found were unconscious. The smell of spirited drinks signaled to him that the condition was self-inflicted.

As the sun began to sink Al'brk'bix was beset by a pack of domesticated canines. There were six members to the pack ranging from medium to large in size. Angered and frightened by the intrusion into their territory all six dogs attacked the hunter.

The battle was quick, bloody, and all together one sided. Teeth snapped like steel traps, blades sliced through the air and fur flew in all directions. Blood splattered the walls of the alley. The seven bodies danced in a deadly tango. Within minutes the corpses of the six dogs were lay on the ground. The carcasses leaked blood, and in some instances viscera, on the paved ground.

Collecting only the skull of the alpha male of the pack Al'brk'vix continued on. The copper smell of lots of blood filled the air as he though about the hunting he had done in this area. He briefly puzzled over the disappearances of his kills. He had not noticed the bodies being removed by other humans, and they certainly would have swarmed the area to investigate the large number of dead bodies he and his pack had left hanging in the area. The rate of the removal intrigued him too. There were usually removed within a day, no matter where they were left. Someone must be scouting the entire area everyday to find them.

Soon after his fight with the stray pack Al'brk'vix found a male _ooman _who was not as intoxicated as most of the other _ooman _inhabiting the area. Starting his game Al'brk'vix jumped out in front of the man. Startled by the thump in front of him when he couldn't see what made it the man backed away and looked at the paper bag holding his cheap whiskey thinking maybe he had had enough for the night. Letting the cloak disengage Al'brk'vix let the homeless drunk see him. The man froze in horror at the sight before him.

In front of him stood a 6'8" man like creature. It possessed armor across its shoulders and around its waist. Both wrists sported metal and leather gauntlets. There was something that looked like the barrel of a gun sitting on its shoulder. The entire body was covered in a fish net type garment. What skin that could be seen was of a pale creamy color, dime sized spots of brown could be seen on the skin. Whether it was natural or artificial the wino would never know. The mask was the most ominous part of the thing. It was devoid of any expression everywhere except the eyes. The coal black lenses seemed to peer into a person's very soul with immeasurable hatred and malice.

A stationary target was not what Al'brk'vix wanted. After a moment's scrutiny he lunged at the man. Petrified, the man stumbled back while he turned to run. Snarling this time Al'brk'vix lunged again and extended his _ki'cit-pa_. This enticed the man to run faster.

Snickering to himself, Al cloaked and followed his prey. The man ran for several minutes watching over his shoulder for his pursuer. He had no chance of spotting the chaser who nimbly leapt across the roofs above his head. As the man slowed, sensing he was out of danger, Al'brk'vix scaled down to the alleyway. Stalking up behind the man Al'brk'vix dropped his shift suit. The crackling of electricity alerted the man to the presence behind him. He turned slightly and was greeted with the sight of that familiar visage and weapon poised over his neck.

The man yelped in surprise as Al'brk'vix feinted another lunge. The man sprinted away as Al'brk'vix clattered a laugh and reengaged his camouflage to began the chase again.

For hours Al'brk'vix continued this game. It was not until well into the night that he grew bored and finally ended the man's torment.

Al'brk'vix hoisted his bloody trophy high in the air as he roared his victory. Blood from the dismembered skull and spine ran down his arm to join the rest on the victor's armor and body. He ended his jubilation shortly when he attached his new skull to his back and started his search for Vek'rin'ka again. The idiot, Wrk'va, could take care of himself for all he cared.

**Hidden Inside a Warehouse**

Burns looked up as a roar was heard through the empty warehouse. Turning back to his diminutive captive he spoke, "That was a mighty big gale off the ocean."

The little girl merely whimpered and continued looking away from her captor. Fresh tears streamed down her face as the man reached out his hand to turn her head to look at him.

"Come on sweetie. There's nothing to be scared of here," Burns said to the little girl. "I love you."

The little girl sniffled and would still not meet his gaze. The duct tape and hand cuffs had been removed soon after the man had taken her picture. Reaching up with her own hand she wiped away her own tears.

"Oh sweetie, now that is better. Here, I have something special for you. A special dinner," Burns cooed at the girl. From a large duffle bag he brought out a familiar looking paper bag. The red-haired clown smiled at the girl but she felt no joy or happiness. When handed the bag she merely put it on the floor and would not touch it.

"You must be hungry, kids like this. Here," Burns said as he pulled out the yellow wrapped cheeseburger. "Take a bite. You'll feel better."

The little girl still refused to touch the food. The smell of the food made her stomach growl audibly but still she refused to touch it. She wasn't supposed to take food from strangers and it wasn't the right day to eat restaurant food.

Burns was becoming irritated with this one already. She should be grateful that someone loved her enough to bring her such a special dinner. Suppressing the anger that welled up within him he reached into the bag. He had another idea to engage his new playmate.

Burns pulled the small toy out of the bag. Wrapped in plastic the small doll was really not worth the money that the restaurant charged for them. Still, a toy was a toy. All the other girls had accepted them. This time it was a small doll with neon green hair that stood straight up. The label on the package called it "Mossy the Troll."

"How about we play with this?" Burns asked. "Do you want it?" He held the small toy out to the girl.

The girl stiffened as Burns drew closer. The toy was held near her as Burns knelt close to her. In a sudden flurry of motion that startled Burns the girl hit the toy away. Clamping her hands over her ears the she started to scream.

"**I WANT MY MOMMY AND DADDY. I WANT MY MOMMY. I WANT MY MOMMY," **she chanted as she rocked herself back and forth. Her hands were tiny fists against her ears and new tears rolled from her eyes.

"God Dammit you little bitch," Burns yelled back at her. "Your mommy and daddy don't love you any more. That's why they're not here. I LOVE YOU. And THIS is how you repay me." Before either of them knew it Burns had pulled back his hand and slapped her across the face.

The girl was sent sprawling onto the floor. A red hand print on her cheek already promised a bruise later. Burns stopped himself when he realized what had just done. If he didn't control his temper now he will not be able to have fun with the little girl after he deals with the detective broad. Quickly moving away Burns grabbed his duffle bag and pulled the hand cuffs back out.

Striding over to the disoriented girl he roughly pulled her wrists to him. Once the cuffs were snapped closed he then dragged her over to a vertical support column and attached the waiting chain to the cuffs. Leaving the shivering girl he quickly moved to the other side of the building. He didn't want to play with his toy now, not when she was like this anyway.

The little girl curled up and continued to cry. She knew that the words the man spoke were not true. Her parents loved her, but those words still stung. She cried until she was too tired to do anything but hiccup. Eventually she fell asleep on the bare concrete floor still trembling and hiccupping sobs. Exhaustion finally released her temporarily from her situation but her dreams served as a reminder that she was still not safe.

**Conference Room of Cach's Headquarters**

The dark suited men sat around a long wooden table. The discussion was secret and all the men displayed the arrogance that came with knowing something no one else did. At the head of the impressive table stood "Cach." He ran the meeting with military precision and directness.

"Have there been any newly reported bodies," Cach addressed one man.

"None today sir. We managed to fit the emergency and non-emergency police lines with a router through this office. If any thing is reported we'll be the first ones there. And a virus has been planted in their computer system so any information put in will be erased."

"Do the local police have any idea what is happening?" Cach asked.

"No sir. No information has fallen into their hands. These creatures are sure helping though," replied the same man.

"How so?" Cach inquired.

"They seem to be only taking people no one will miss. A few gang bangers here, and alley full of bums there," replied another suited man. "Our sweeper teams have been finding the bodies and discreetly removing them before they are found by anyone who would report them."

"Good," Cach said as he turned to another man. "How are those pheromone tracking stations working?"

"Most are performing better than expected," responded the man. "There are over 2,000 units in place all over the city and more will be put up shortly. The units near the waterfront are having some trouble with the salt in the air clogging the filters. We are working on a solution to that and in the mean time we are simply changing the filters more frequently."

"Good. So what are they showing us about the creature's movements," questioned Cach.

"Well, there is definitely more than one of them here this time," the lone woman of the group volunteered. "Multiple signatures at multiple stations at the same general time. A group of them seem to be concentrated near the waterfront warehouses. One or two will move farther into the city every so often, but will fall back to the same general area. There is another signature that has only met up with the group once. As far as we can tell, at least two individuals of the original group disappeared at the meeting. We don't know for certain, but we suspect that they were killed."

"Hmmm," pondered Cach, "This could mean serious problems. Do we know exactly where this meeting took place?"

"Yes, sir," the first man volunteered. "Near Metro Miami Park. On the roof of a building adjacent to the park. We tried to get agents in there but there was a crime scene going and lots of media. We couldn't examine the area without being noticed and by the time we got there, there was nothing left to be found."

The sole female occupant of the room spoke up again, "This visit isn't like any of the others that have been documented."

"How so?" Cach demanded.

"With the information gathered from the survivor of the Antarctica incident we have determined that these aliens have rules they hunt by. The events in Central America, New York, and LA fit that profile. Women and children left alone. Everyone killed was armed. Rules that would even out the playing field. We are not seeing that here. Even the Russian crash was not as 'out-of-the-ordinary' as this."

"What are you suggesting," Cash said growing impatient.

"What I am suggesting," said the woman, "is that this is not a typical visit. The victim profile includes both unarmed homeless people, men and women, and armed gang members. I believe that the location of the center of the activity is the only reason there haven't been more higher profile killings. We're kind of lucky in that respect. We might not be able to maintain out cover if these aliens started killing people who would be missed immediately. Sir, I think we have a rouge."

The news did not sit well with Cach, but he would not let his apprehension be seen by his underlings. "What about this other signature? The loner," Cach asked.

"We haven't connected any of the recent killings to it," a behaviorist said. "It isn't traveling with the others and there have been no bodies found in the area around the stations that it's been near alone. We believe that it is tracking the other group. Maybe their own policing system."

"Where has it been," Cach dug sensing that this should be their target. If it was distracted tracking its own kind it may not be paying enough attention to what the humans were doing about its presence.

"Well, it was at that crime scene, and then showed up on the station by a police precinct. This morning it was recorded in a residential neighborhood in the northern end of the city before it was picked up by one of the perimeter stations as it left the city."

Cach thought for a moment before speaking again, "So it is possible this one is tracking a cop as well as the other group."

A sarcastic snort erupted from a man who had yet to say anything, "Like we haven't seen that before."

Glaring at the man Cach redirected the attendants' attention, "What cop was in charge of that crime scene. We could use him if this hunter is really tracking him."

"Two detectives were in charge of the investigation. Point man, or should I say woman, is a Detective Cassandra Hadley, and her partner Detective Gerold MacKenzie."

Cach's eyes lit up at the information. His in-town girl being tracked by the thing he is tracking could have been a Christmas present to him. An evil smile spread across his face. His bait was already on the hook, all he had to do was reel it in. That is if the alien wasn't tracking her partner. These things hadn't been known to track or hunt women before, but it was unlikely that it would be hunting that fat partner of Hadley's. Cach, however, wanted to know for sure before planning anything.

"What neighborhood was it recorded in," Cach demanded.

"It was recorded on one of the stations placed in the ball fields on Queen St," someone in the room said.

"Christ," exclaimed Cach.

"What," half the room asked at the sudden curse.

"I was there this morning with Detective Hadley," Cach said calming down immediately. The curious looks from the group around the table probed him to continue, "Just a girl I've been seeing in town."

A man standing near the door to the conference room chuckled. "Is this going to be a problem," the man asked.

"No sir," Cach immediately replied. "She's just a casual fling. A roll in the sack for fun. Plenty more like her. Been working her awhile. These hunters aren't the only ones who like the chase, but the company comes first."

"Good," the man continued. "Your orders, however, have changed. It is no longer a live capture mission. We want that technology this time. The creature is not as important. Dead or alive, we want its technology. And the mercs are getting too expensive to deal with."

"Yes sir," was the unanimous acknowledgement from everyone. When the head of the X-T section delivered orders personally no one questioned it. Rumor had it that doing so would get you transferred deeper into the secret projects department, and it wouldn't be a promotion. No one transferred there EVER came back.


	5. Honor Returned

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Five: Honor Returned

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 2761

**Little Havana**

Vek'rin'ka had scoured the city for a good part of the day. It was in an area that was rather rustic in appearance that he picked up the scent of another yautja. It was strong and fresh. There was no way it could have been left by anyone other than one of the two remaining Bad Bloods. The scent trail led through the neighborhood. Occasionally the spices the _oomans_ used in their cooking would mingle with the scent of his quarry, but never did he loose the trail. Unerringly he followed the ever strengthening smell.

The scent led him through the neighborhood that was teeming with life. Many _oomans_ inhabited the area and created a constant din in the evening air. Crossing roofs and alleys, Vek'rin'ka avoided detection as he traversed the community. Many of the buildings he ran on were abandoned. Little more than husks that provided nothing but to take up space. Others contained tightly packed _ooman_ family units, many units to one building.

Closer to the source Vek'rin'ka's mask registered the presence of yautja technology. Slowing his progress he pulled his spear from its place on his back and extended it. Moving so that he remained directly downwind of the other yautja he crept closer still.

The other warrior was just around the corner of a large, noisy machine on top of an _ooman_ building. Vek'rin'ka checked the area before dropping his camouflage. Coming around the machine he spotted the Bad Blood Wrk'va watching something over the edge of the building. Alerting Wrk'va to his presence with a bark he brought his spear to the ready.

Startled, Wrk'va turned expecting to see his leader. His mandibles slackened behind his mask when he saw the Arbitrator standing there instead. He knew he had been caught at that moment and cursed Al'brk'vix vehemently. The Arbitrator did not give Wrk'va anymore time to think. While he was rather slow minded his fighting skills were par excellence.

Vek'rin'ka swung his spear and it connected with the back of Wrk'va's knees. The blow sent him tumbling to his rear. He continued the roll intending to come up on his feet. Mid-roll while his stomach was still parallel with the roof top Vek'rin'ka hit him again. The shaft of the spear came down hard perpendicular to Wrk'va's spine. The blow caused his muscles to spasm sending him flat-faced to the roof. The spear tip was swiftly at the back of his neck and Vek'rin'ka placed one foot firmly on Wrk'va's back to prevent any escape attempts.

Wrk'va then realized, but would not admit, his defeat. In a final attempt to free himself he extended his _ki'cti-pa_ and took a blind swing in the direction that he thought Vek'rin'ka's leg was. Vek'rin'ka anticipated the last ditch effort and extended his own blades. Wrk'va's wrist flailed as he tried to cut Vek'rin'ka's leg. Vek'rin'ka swung his _ki'cti-pa_ at the extremity and cleanly sliced through the gauntlet along with the flesh and bone.

Vek'rin'ka drove his _ki'its-pa_ deep into the prone warrior's shoulder. Using it to pin Wrk'va, Vek'rin'ka leaned his weight on it. A strangled cry escaped the Bad Blood as the blades cut through more of his flesh. He was loosing blood rapidly from his stump of an arm. Pain wracked his chest as Vek'rin'ka twisted his _ki'its-pa_.

Bending down to Wrk'va's head Vek'rin'ka snarled at his captive, "I will show you _m-di h'chak_, Bad Blood, if you choose to force me to kill you."

Wrk'va tried vainly to sound intimidating when he snarled back. The effort left florescent green blood on his face under his mask. It was followed by a fit of coughing that caused the barbed tip of the _ki'its-pa_ to tear at more flesh in his chest. His strength was waning and his vision was clouding.

"Allow me a blade, to end the disgrace that I have cast myself into," pleaded the pinned yautja.

Vek'rin'ka pulled his spear out of the injured shoulder and pulled Wrk'va into a kneeling position by his dreadlocks. The defeated warrior bowed his head once his hair was released and Vek'rin'ka stepped in front of him. Wrk'va reached for his dagger kept in a sheath on his hip. The ceremonial weapon was made of the exoskeleton of a _kainde amedha_ and glinted black ebony. Inlayed into the handle was the name of his bloodline, a tribute that all yautja carried to honor those who were their ancestors.

The movement was brought up short by Vek'rin'ka's _ki'its-pa_, "_Mo_."

Wrk'va looked at the Arbitrator confused. Was he not going to be allowed to die with any honor? He cursed himself doubly for ever following Al'brk'vix, if only he had followed a better leader he would not be here trying to scrap up what little dignity was being afforded to him and having it denied.

"I will allow you to complete your death. First, however, I want information," Vek'rin'ka calmly stated as he removed his spear from Wrk'va's arm.

"What do you wish to know, Lord Arbitrator," Wrk'va bowed his head deeply as he said this.

**"**The location of the ship you arrived in," Vek'rin'ka said, "and the access codes."

"Yes, my Lord," Wrk'va said as he bowed even deeper. "The ship is concealed in an abandoned building near the shore of the great sea. A large gap in the roof provided entrance for the ship. The co-ordinates are stored in this," he continued as he removed his wrist mounted computer and self-destruct device and laid it in front of the Arbitrator.

"What of the access codes," Vek'rin'ka demanded with a growl.

"They are contained within the device as well. It will also provide you with the locations of Al'brk'vix's traps," Wrk'va told the Arbitrator. "Al'brk'vix has become paranoid. He tries to watch everything at once, but he ends up seeing nothing."

Intrigued Vek'rin'ka probed, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"He has not noticed the teams of _oomans_ that patrol the city. They follow us as if they can track our movements and our kills are cleaned up quickly. These _oomans_ are too cunning to be normal prey; they know something about our presence," Wrk'va insisted.

"I have noticed. One thinks that he can track me without repercussion," Vek'rin'ka said as he thought of his future hunt. His initial classification of this yautja as being slow may not have been as correct as he thought. These _oomans_ were cunning and tricky, and if this yautja picked up their tactics he must have not been as slow as the clan thought. "Is there anything else that you wish to confess before your death?"

"Al'brk'vix knows of your _ooman_ female. He wishes to use her against you," Wrk'va said to Vek'rin'ka.

Growling low in his throat Vek'rin'ka brought his _ki'cti-pa_ to bear on the kneeling warrior's throat, "And how does he know of her?"

"His shift suit," Wrk'va supplied, "he modified it. It masks any out going signal and shields the body's heat. It makes the wearer invisible to our vision."

"So that was him on the roof two suns ago," snorted Vek'rin'ka as he internally berated himself for allowing an enemy get that close to him.

"No," Wrk'va snarled, "the coward would not test the changes himself. It was I on the roof with you, but I have not seen any of the changes he has made to the suit since then."

Vek'rin'ka stood before the cowed yautja. Wrk'va continued to loss blood from his severed arm and holes in both front and back of his chest. Sheathing his _ki'cti-pa,_ Vek'rin'ka reached for the blade strapped to Wrk'va's side. Pulling it away from his body Vek'rin'ka studied the blade. Once the inspection was completed he handed it back to Wrk'va, handle first.

Nodding to the Bad Blood, Vek'rin'ka stepped back. Slowly, Wrk'va reached up and disconnected the hoses of his mask. Removing it, he placed it before him on the ground. Turning the blade in his hand, he regarded it. Never had he thought that the blade his mother had given him would be the one to end his life.

Vek'rin'ka watched as Wrk'va closed his eyes and placed the blade so that it would pierce his heart. Thrusting surely, Wrk'va plunged the blade through the bones that protected his vital organs. The obsidian blade cut past skin and bones and reached the muscle of Wrk'va's heart. One gasp of breath and Wrk'va was dead, a small measure of honor replaced for facing his fate.

The body slumped to the side and blood from the seeping wounds spattered on the rotting roof top. Vek'rin'ka stepped forward to retrieve the computer and mask. One he would use to access the ship stolen by the Bad Bloods, the other, returned with the dagger to the mother of the one that died with honor. After securing the two items and stripping the body of any weapons Vek'rin'ka poured the dissolving agent used by Arbitrator's on Wrk'va. This would make sure there was nothing left for anyone to find.

Once finished disposing of Wrk'va's remains, Vek'rin'ka stood and surveyed the scene. Satisfied that nothing of yautja origin would be found if someone ventured onto the roof he picked up his bag containing the weapons that the liquid would not have broken down and departed. There was nothing left for him to do here, so he returned to his own ship to store the weapons and update his computer with the information he obtained from Wrk'va.

With the weapons stored and the ship secure in its hiding place Vek'rin'ka began his search for Al'brk'vix's ship. The knowledge that Al'brk'vix could track him without him knowing it prickled in the back of Vek'rin'ka's mind. The Bad Blood had one hell of an advantage and Vek'rin'ka knew that he wouldn't hesitate to use it. As a result, Vek'rin'ka was constantly checking his surroundings. Catching himself, he shook his head. He wouldn't be able to see Al'brk'vix anyway.

It was well past midnight when Vek'rin'ka reached the area indicated on Wrk'va's computer. He expected to find a large rundown building that was falling apart. What he didn't expect to find were several buildings in similar condition. The computer, however, would not give the exact location of the ship. Vek'rin'ka snorted in disgust. He would have to search every building, thus exposing himself to Al'brk'vix who could be anywhere. If nothing else, at least the computer was working properly thought Vek'rin'ka. If a warrior became disoriented the computer would show the general location of his ship or shuttle and the warrior would be able to find it on his own once he was in familiar territory. The computer would not give the exact coordinates to prevent that sensitive information falling into the wrong hands, like that of a rival clan or unthinkably, the hands of intelligent prey like _oomans_.

Moving on after checking the building he was currently residing on Vek'rin'ka looking into the distance. Rows upon rows of storage buildings spread to the horizon and behind him the city's taller buildings rose into the sky. The search for the ship would take days. Even with the computer, the search area was huge.

After checking every building that seemed likely, Vek'rin'ka began his search in a less run down area of the same vicinity. This area was surrounded by what probably would have been a formidable barrier to an _ooman. _It was made of metal mesh and rose several _noks_ above Vek'rin'ka's head should he have been standing on the ground. The top was wrapped with bladed wire that added another _nok_ to its height. Taking a running start to clear both the passage way between the barrier and building he was on, Vek'rin'ka jumped over the barrier and landed gracefully on the ground on the other side of the fence.

Moving swiftly, Vek'rin'ka climbed onto the nearest building where any passing _oomans_ would not spot him. Methodically he checked every roof top for the hole that would admit a yautja hunting ship. As he worked his way closer to the shoreline that bordered this compound his mask registered the strobing of lights that was associated with the law keepers' vehicles.

Abandoning his search for Al'brk'vix, Vek'rin'ka approached the area cloaked. Peering over the side of the building he spotted a group of armed _oomans_ trying to enter several of the buildings. At the fore of the group he spotted a familiar heat signature. He moved from building to building until he was on the building that the familiar signature was at. It was the _ooman_ female he had been observing earlier and she was trying to enter the building.

Vek'rin'ka observed the female as she tried to gain access to the building through the large bay doors. While watching her Vek'rin'ka wondered what she was doing. A quiet sound turned his attention away from his subject. It came from an open hatch on the roof of the building he was sitting on. Moving over to the open entrance Vek'rin'ka peer through.

**Staging Area at Burns Shipping Main Gate**

Detectives Hadley and MacKenzie finally reached the staging area where everyone was waiting for them. Delayed as they were by a belatedly delivered report they were anxious to find Kristen. Breaking to a halt by the group of other unmarked cars and regular cruisers, Cass and Gerold leapt from their car and made their way to the head of the group.

Turning to face the gathered officers Cass held up a blue folded paper, "We have a warrant to search the entire area. Every building is to be searched."

The assembled party broke up into prearranged groups and began to sweep the buildings. Gerold went with a group of officers to the left as Cass and another group headed straight into the buildings. Supervising the officers as they cleared one building Cass thought over the report that she and Gerold had received. The report had contained a DNA analysis from each of the first three victims. Semen had been left on their clothing and was collected to be run through CODIS. The initial results yielded no matches to any known profiles. The medical examiner was going to run it through the military database. That was weeks ago and the results finally arrived. The results confirmed the suspect was none other than Gregory Burns.

In a surprising turn, the Dept. of Defense also included Burns service record. Whether it was a slip up or not it provided invaluable information on the suspect. Most of the information was blacked out, but the end was what was most interesting. It stated that Burns had been dishonorably discharged. He had apparently had a problem with women for a while.

While stationed at Fort Pacifica, Burns had a heated disagreement with a superior officer who happened to be female. Later that night, he had broken into her home and brutally beat and raped her. He was court marshaled and found guilty. After serving time in Leavenworth and passing a psychological exam he was released. Cass suspected that he expertly manipulated the psychologist who administered the exam since he was still victimizing females. The officer Burns attacked resigned from the military and moved to Colorado, closer to her family.

Cass's team cleared the building and returned to her to search the next building. The team spread around the building to secure the exits. Cass cautiously approached the large vehicle doors and tried to pull the walk-through open. The hangar-type door was locked up tight. A member of her team reported that a side door was locked simply with a chain and pad lock. Bolt cutters were procured and used to open the door. As her team proceeded to clear the building Cass moved towards the next.

Approaching the front entrance Cass hears muffled noises coming from within. Breaking into a run Cass barreled the last remaining feet to the door. She grasped the latch on the door and pulled with all her might.

"Kristen! Kristen, honey, are you in there," Cass called desperately as she banged on the door. The metal would not budge under the assault and the latch would not give. The noises became louder, distinctly plaintive cries. "Kristen, we coming for you. Hold on." Speaking into her radio, Cass called, "I have something. Fourth warehouse from the main entrance. I need back up with a battering ram now."

_**Author Notes:**_ A shorter chapter, but you are getting two in two days. And it's a cliffie. ;P. I'll be back, MWAHAHAHAHA.


	6. The Invisdible Man

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter:** Six: The Invisible Man

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 2739

The large hangar-like building was imposing. The concrete walls rose three stories high and remained windowless except for small panes near the top that allowed for air circulation. The bay door was a corroded steel. Hinged on each side and split down the center, each door would easily admit a semi trailer. Inset into the left one was a walk through door that held more promise of being broken down.

Cass continued to pound with her fist on the metal door. The cries continued from inside and it forced her into a frenzy. She redoubled her efforts to move the door. All her efforts proved futile as the metal remained solidly in place. Before her backup could arrive Cass took off intending to circle the building looking for another way in.

Vek'rin'ka had moved over to the open hatchway. Scanning the interior of the building, he found it to predominantly empty. The interior was dark, save for a small lit office and a section of overhead lighting. Darkness consumed the rest and shadows wrapped themselves around the neglected and unused shelving. There were two heat signatures inside that belonged to _oomans_. One was an adult male that was hovering over the second signature. The other was a small female child. She was the source of the sound that he had heard. The reason was clear. She was shackled to a post and the male's posture was definitely threatening.

Anger surged through Vek'rin'ka as he watched as the male approached the child. The movements were malicious, made to incite fear in the youngling. He made a decision then. There was no way he would allow the _ooman_ to harm the child any more. He prepared to jump into the building when the male startled. There was banging on the large doors at the front of the building. Without hesitating Vek'rin'ka jumped down to the floor and stalked up behind the man. A low menacing growl escaped him despite his effort to control himself.

Burns paused before he hit the girl again. He could hear the cops banging on the door. It was only a matter of time before they broke through that door, or found the one on the side unlocked. Overshadowed by the pounding on the door was a low rumble. It sounded like an angry dog was in the warehouse with them. Fearing that he would be caught by that annoying detective he fled out the side door. Being caught by the cops was not in the plans tonight, and he would not be humiliated by being caught by a FEMALE one.

Vek'rin'ka had wanted to kill the male right there. His muscles twitched as if urging him to engage and part of his mind roared at him to finish the pathetic _ooman_ Bad Blood. The calmer, rational part impressed upon him it was not his hunt. It was not his kill. To do so would make him no better than that which he killed. His rationale won the battle for control. He let the coward run before turning to the small being left behind. He could not kill the Bad Blood, but he could get the youngling out of here and to safety.

Vek'rin'ka walked up to the little girl still curled up on the floor. Kristen looked up at the watery figure before her and shrank back as far as the chain would allow her. Vek'rin'ka saw her fear of him and stepped back. He turned off his shift suit and allowed her to see him. The banging continued on the door behind him and he knew that he would have to be quick. He held out his hands as he approached the frightened girl. She held still as he crouched down before her. Knowing his size was imposing to such a tiny creature he held still as he watched her examine him. Her eyes coursed over his face and down his body then back to his face. Her breathing was fast-paced but calming down as she continued to stare at him.

Vek'rin'ka moved his hand to reach for the handcuffs encircling Kristen's tiny wrists. She whimpered and pulled back but the chain was taunt and would not give her any more room. Halting his advance to allow her time to adjust to his nearness, Vek'rin'ka watched as Kristen's heart raced anew.

Vek'rin'ka reached up with his other hand to pat Kristen's head as he purred, "_M-di'h'dlak, little one, m-di'h'dlak."_

Slowly Vek'rin'ka slid himself closer to the bound child. He had seen Bad Bloods do many dishonorable things, but never had he seen them treat a youngling in such a way. His hand remained on her head as he brought her hands out in front of her.

He moved to kneel beside her and as he did so he moved his hand from the top of her head down to her chin.

Moving Kristen's head to look at him again, Vek'rin'ka repeated his purr, "_M-di'h'dlak."_ Vek'rin'ka took his hand away from Kristen's face and placed it gently on her back. He pulled his other hand away from Kristen's and clenched his fist. Looking at the girl once more he extended his _ki'cti-pa_.

As Vek'rin'ka expected, the youngling tried to flee. His hand, however, did its job and prevented her from backing away again. He moved around behind her as he removed his hand. The child had pulled her hands to her chest and had curled her legs up on front of them. He would need to hold her hands steady while he cut her bonds. With the child securely restrained against him, Vek'rin'ka reached around her for her bound hands. Gently he took them and stretched them out.

Kristen resisted, knowing only that those knives looked very sharp. She could not back up anymore, and the hand held her own hands firmly. A slight whimper escaped her as she braced herself against the huge abdomen. She could not escape the blades on her savior's wrist as they moved towards her. Cringing as far away from them as she could get she watched wide eyed as the two parallel blades were positioned carefully between her wrists.

With the sharp bladed side facing away from himself and the child, Vek'rin'ka pushed them away while pulling the child's arms back towards them. Easily the blades passed through the metal and the chain fell away. The child remained still. Shocked that her hands were finally free she stared at the cuffs that no longer restricted her movement and merely formed silver bracelets around her wrists.

After a long moment Kristen turned her head to look at the face above her. Vek'rin'ka sheathed his blades and regarded her. Kristen was the first to move as she turned to stand and face Vek'rin'ka. Standing her full height she still did not reach Vek'rin'ka's lower mandibles as he knelt before her. He was reaching for her face again when she threw herself into his chest and wrapped her arms around as much of him as she could.

"Can I go home now?" a small sobbing voice asked.

Vek'rin'ka looked down at the youngling clinging to his chest. To say he was confused would be accurate. First she tries to flee in fear, now she won't let go. _'Oomans,_' Vek'rin'ka huffed mentally. Gently, tenderly he wrapped an arm around Kristen to support her as he stood up and walked over to a ladder that lead to the roof hatch he had entered through.

The banging on the door had continued while Vek'rin'ka had freed Kristen of her tether. Once they were on the roof the banging stopped as shouts were heard farther up the service way. Vek'rin'ka could hear the sound of running footsteps approaching the side of the building. Holding Kristen tighter he jumped down the three stories to land in the alley that the male had fled through what was only seconds ago.

The alley way between the two storage buildings was wide, sufficient to permit most cargo vehicles maneuvering room. Shadows played off the light given by the moon and small solar lamps over the doorways of the row of buildings. Despite the light the alley remained desolate and ominous. Litter was strewn over the ground and various shipping supplies were leaned or stacked haphazardly against the buildings.

Vek'rin'ka set the girl down as the footsteps drew closer. He reengaged his cloak as Cass rounded the corner, nearly toppling Kristen. Vek'rin'ka froze behind the girl. With his cloak running and in the dark shadows of the alley, the female might not be able to see him.

Cass skidded to a halt when she saw Kristen. The girl stood there looking at her calmly. Her eyes were still puffy and red from crying, but standing there in the dark she didn't show any fear. Hovering around her like an aura was something that made the space behind it look as if you were peering through a glass of water.

Quickly recovering Cass looked down the alley past the girl. She spotted a figure running away through the shadows before it ducked around a corner. The instant that Cass's attention was shifted Vek'rin'ka moved away from the two humans and silently climbed up a pile of pallets.

Vek'rin'ka watched as Cass put her weapon away and pulled off one of her garments and wrapped it around the child. He was glad that his assumption was correct. The female would not abandon the child to give chase, even if that child was not her own. He didn't know, however, if the males would have done the same thing, but he doubted it. It was only moments later that the large male from the previous night came around the corner to join the female. He paused briefly and spoke to her.

"Cass, which way did he go," Gerold huffed.

Cass pointed down the alley the way she had seen Burns take, "Down there, four buildings down, then he turned right."

"Stay here with her," Gerold gestured to Kristen. He turned down the alley way and pulled out his gun and began running down the alley. Pulling out his radio Gerold called, "We need a secure perimeter, suspect Gregory Burns seen fleeing officers. I am in the alley to the west of Building 4A. Pursuing on foot, north through that alley. Requesting backup."

The reply came as Gerold moved too far away from Cass for her to hear it. She watched her partner sprint down the alley briefly before turning back to the girl.

"You're name's Kristen, right hon," Cass asked softly.

Kristen just nodded her head. She was trembling in what Cass assumed was shock. Cass looked her over for injures and noticed the rings of the cuffs still around her small wrists. The connecting chain was severed cleanly leaving only the bracelets. Cass reached out and took the girls hands to examine them.

Gently probing Cass asked her, "Who help you out in there?"

For the first time Kristen met Cass's eyes and said quietly, "The invisdible man. He chased the monster away."

Suddenly, two loud shots were heard from the alley Gerold had disappeared down. The twin claps startled both Cass and Kristen who jumped into her arms. Almost immediately three others were heard, distinctly from the Glock 9mm that was standard issue to police. Cass heard a large engine rev and tires squealed as the unseen vehicle peeled out.

Instantly Cass grabbed Kristen and hauled her behind the relative safety of the stack of pallets. Holding tightly with one hand to Kristen, Cass pulled out her own radio and called for more backup.

"10-33. Officer requires assistance. I repeat 10-33. Officer requires assistance," Cass yelled into the radio even as more cops entered the alley. With guns drawn they looked to Cass for direction. Gulping in air she pointed down the alley to the cross path that Burns and Gerold had turned down.

"Down there, right," she ordered. Pointing to young cop that arrived with the group she called him over. "Take care of her, get her to the paramedics." The cop looked shaken, probably a rookie. If the situation was as dire as she hoped it wasn't she didn't want a jittery cop around. Cass handed off Kristen to the cop and took off down the alley after her partner easily out distancing the uniformed cops that were to be her backup.

Vek'rin'ka heard the shots and spun to look for the threat. The sound came from another passageway that the Bad Blood and the large _ooman_ male disappeared down. Vek'rin'ka looked back down at the two females huddled behind the pile of debris that he was perched on. The adult was shouting into a communications device. What startled him was the little girl. She was looking right at him. Even when she was handed to another law enforcer she continued to watch him. Vek'rin'ka checked his cloak. The system check confirmed it was on and functioning properly. Slightly ruffled Vek'rin'ka moved quickly to the roof of the building he was beside.

Turning away from the girl, Vek'rin'ka searched for the female. He spotted her down the pathway. _'Cjit,_ this _ooman_ is fast,' he thought to himself taking off after her. Sparing a glance over his shoulder he saw the child still looking at him.

"You're safe now little one," he purred quietly as he moved away. He caught up with Cass as she came to the intersection where she would have to turn right. He watched her slow and creep up to the corner letting the other _oomans_ catch up before going around the corner.

Cass slowed as she came to the corner of the intersecting alleys. Carefully, with her weapon held out in front of her, she rounded the corner and checked for any possible threats. Seeing no one she surveyed the scene again. Laying in the middle of the passage was a person. With the other police officers at her back she quickly approached the form.

When she finally reached the man she felt undeniable grief. With an ever widening pool of dark crimson around him, Gerold lay. A large, gaping hole had been punched through one arm. Blood poured from the ugly exit wound. Another bullet wound allowed blood to darken the formerly pristine white shirt along his collarbone. Another inch or two and the entry point would have been in his neck.

Dropping down beside Gerold, Cass reached to feel for a pulse. Another officer raced up to them and called for another ambulance. Cass tried to stop the bleeding with her hands. Thick, red gore covered them in seconds as Gerold's heart pumped more out of the torn artery with every beat.

Gerold slowly uncurled his fingers from his own gun. Catching Cass's hand with his he spoke to her.

"B7Y…," Gerold managed to say before his strength died and he closed his eyes.

Cass tried to understand what Gerold had been saying until she was shoved out of the way by the arriving paramedics. She couldn't think straight, couldn't figure out what Gerold had been trying to say to her. She stayed with the paramedics as they worked on Gerold in the dark alley. When they loaded him into the waiting ambulance she climbed in with them.

Vek'rin'ka watched the scene below from his vantage point. The male had been shot with an _ooman _weapon. One of the projectiles still burned brightly within his body as _thwei_ escaped it quickly. His _u'sl-kwe_ would soon come.

Another figure stood on a roof top across from Vek'rin'ka. Invisible to everything, Al'brk'vix was just returning to his ship after his hunt. He had had a clear view of the shooting and found it entertaining, especially when the _ooman_ Arbitrator was shot.

The flimsy armor it wore across its chest did nothing to protect it. Another _ooman _Arbitrator approached the injured one and as it came into clear view so did his rival, Vek'rin'ka. He stood there watching his precious female. The one that distracted him so from his hunt.

It would be easy right now to shoot Vek'rin'ka and be done with it. Unfortunately the current area was not conducive to that. It was crawling with _oomans_, most of them armed. Al'brk'vix decided it would be too difficult to get away without being noticed once Vek'rin'ka was dead. For now, he decided, he would watch and wait.


	7. Sacrifice

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Seven: Sacrifice

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 4633

Cass paced the halls of the emergency room. The sterile white walls of the critical care waiting room had long since forced her to leave. Heather, Gerold's wife, was still there, holding her daughters, Stephanie and Michelle, and praying for a miracle. Cass had been there when the captain had brought her in. She was a mess and the girls were frightened. Cass stayed to comfort them as long as she could. Finally, she had to leave her partner's wife and the captain to get some air.

Doctors, nurses, and orderlies ran every which way in a chaotic ballet. A desperate attempt was being made to save Gerold's life. Cass knew that Gerold's survival would be a miracle in a long line of miracles this day. She had listened to the paramedics in the ambulance. Even they admitted that there was no reason for him to still be alive, much less reach the hospital that way.

Having already had her fill of the ambulance bay she made her way back inside. Walking past an exam room she saw Kristen through the window. Her parents had not yet arrived so she was being watched over by an elderly candy striper and a brace of officers as a doctor examined her small body for any injuries, or other evidence. The little girl cringed at every touch from the young doctor and gripped the candy striper's hand harder. Her frightened eyes flicked over to the window and spotted Cass. Cass gave her a reassuring smile and a small wave before moving on.

Completing her nervous circuit of the halls she turned the corner to the one that led to the waiting room. Standing by the door were the three people she really didn't want to see together. The doctor that had been treating Gerold had shed his white overcoat and stood before Heather and the captain in his green scrubs.

Cass stopped where she was and waited. The balding doctor stood before Heather speaking in a tone too soft for Cass to hear. Heather was nodding at whatever the doctor was saying when her face contorted into a painful grimace. She turned into the captain and buried her face in his shoulder. The anguished cry was only slightly muffled. As her knees buckled, Adams wrapped an arm around her and steadied her as she sunk to the floor. Gerold's two daughters came out of the waiting room when they heard their mother. The small family sat huddled on the floor of the emergency room hallway as their grief poured out.

Cass did not have to talk to anyone to know what happened. She had already shared the same loss before. Her partner was dead. She turned away before the captain saw her watching them. He would order her home and she had a case to work. Retracing her steps, she made her way back to Kristen's room.

Drawing closer to the right door Cass spotted the attending doctor just leaving. Breaking into a jog she caught up before the doctor could disappear to see another patient.

"Doctor," Cass called ahead of her, "I need to talk to you about her." Cass indicated the room where Kristen was resting.

The doctor's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "She's not taking any visitors," was the cold, guarded reply.

"Please, doc," Cass pleaded. "I'm the one who found her. I just have a couple of questions for her."

The doctor looked Cass up and down. The badge was in plain view clipped to her belt. Her shirt was bloody, as were her pants. Sighing heavily the doctor spoke up.

"I suppose if I tell you no, you'll go in anyway when my back is turned," she took Cass's silence as an affirmative. "Well, I can't let you go in looking like that. Come with me."

Cass looked down at her clothing. It was the first time she had taken note of her appearance. Blood soaked her dark pants, but didn't cause nearly the contrast that it did on her light colored shirt. She nodded at the doctor as she followed obediently to a change room and was handed a pair of scrubs. She quickly made her way back to Kristen's room and quietly entered.

The tiny girl sat on her bed and looked at Cass as she came in. When she saw the detective her grasp on the candy striper loosened slightly.

"Hi, Kristen," Cass began. "Do you remember me?"

Kristen nodded her head, "You're from the building."

"Yes, hon," Cass said. "Can I ask you some questions?"

"About the monster?" Kirsten asked.

Cass was used to the way children referred to those who hurt them, scared them, like Gregory Burns had done. Without skipping a beat she affirmed, "Yes Kristen, the monster."

Kristen sniffled a little as Cass looked over at the older woman whose hand Kristen was holding. Cass motioned for her to leave. The woman rose to leave but Kristen gripped her hand tighter. Fear flashed through her eyes as they darted from her hand-holder to Cass.

"Would you like me to hold her hand for a little while, while we talk," Cass asked sympathetically.

Cass offered her hand and Kristen grabbed it before letting the candy striper go. Her hands were shaking though she was not visually trembling. She obviously didn't want to be left alone again, fearing her monster would come back.

"Kristen, I know this is hard, but can you tell me what happened?" Cass coaxed.

"He said that we would get me an ice cream," Kristen said looking away guiltily.

Cass reached over and lifted Kristen's head up to look in her eyes, "It's not your fault. He was a bad man. Why did you go with him? Did you know him?"

"No," Kristen replied as she shook her head. "He knew the safety word."

"Safety word?" Cass inquired.

"Yeah, mommy told me the safety word. And he knew it. Mommy says if someone knows the safety word it is because she told them and it is safe to go with them," Kristen said starting to sob.

"Oh, hon. It's not your fault," Cass reassured gently. "Can you tell me what he did with you?"

"He tied me up and took a picture. Then he wanted me to play with him so he untied me, but I didn't want to play with him. I wanted to go home. Then he tried to get me to eat but I didn't want to eat. He got mad then and he hit me and tied me back up." The words poured out of her as if she stopped she feared she wouldn't find them again. Her grip tightened even more when she looked at Cass. "The monster, did he get away?"

Cass didn't want to tell her the truth. She didn't want to feel like a failure, like Gerold had died for nothing. She didn't want Kristen to be scared anymore, but she couldn't lie to the child.

"Yes, sweetie," Cass solemnly admitted. Cass felt a shiver run through Kristen's body to her. "He got away. But don't worry. I'm going to catch him."

Kristen sighed and leaned back closing her eyes.

"Honey, just one more question please," Cass asked.

Kristen opened her eyes and looked at Cass.

"Who cut those handcuffs for you," Cass wanted to know.

"The invisdible man, he," Kristen began as her parents burst into the room with Captain Adams. "MOMMY!"

Mrs. Reca rushed into the room followed closely by her husband. She immediately enveloped her daughter in a bone-crushing hug and cried into her hair. The new emotion was too much for Kristen as she too burst into tears as she released Cass's hand and clung to her mother. Cass watched the scene for a moment before she turned to face her captain.

Adams motioned for Cass to follow him out of the room as he left the family to their reunion. Cass took one last look at the weeping family, by now even Mr. Reca had joined his wife and daughter on the gurney and had both in a bear hug sobbing with them, and followed her superior out.

Adams turned on Cass once they were out of ear shot of the room. His face was white and serious.

"Cass, go home," he started. "You can't do anything here."

"I can't go home, I'm working case," Cass stubbornly interjected.

Adams sighed. Cass was in on of her moods, and this time he could not give in to her. He hardened his tone when he addressed her again. His blue eyes were ice cold.

"Go home Cass, see your niece," he said firmly.

"Is that a order," Cass sneered at him.

The captain surprised her when he grabbed her by the arm and turned her to face the door. Still holding her arm he forced her to walk. "Yes. And I'm going to make sure you actually obey this one." Adams led her over to his car and pushed her into the passenger seat. Before letting her go he gave her a look that said if you move you are fired. Cass fumed at her boss as he got in the driver's side and proceeded to drive her home.

When they were about half-way to Cass's home Adams spoke up for the first time.

"Cass, I'm only trying to look out for you."

Cass continued to stare out the window at the vistas of the city passing by. She glared at Adams' reflection in the window. It was not until they were a block from her home that Adams tried again.

"Cass, I was your dad's partner, and I promised him I would take care of you," Adams started as he pulled up to the curb.

As the car stopped Cass whirled on her boss as she opened the door, "Don't give me any of that shit about looking after me. Where were you when dad was shot, you sure as hell weren't looking after him then. You didn't even see us after the funeral. And I looked after myself just fine when mom did this," she said pulling back her hair to reveal a 6 inch long scar running from her temple to her jaw. "Did you even know she was in jail? I never saw you until I got assigned to the SVU."

Adams sat there stymied. He couldn't interrupt the outpouring of rage directed at him. "Even after this," she indicated the scar again, "even after this, I took care of myself, and I did just fine. So did Faith. You didn't even come to her and Chad's funeral."

Finally finished saying everything she wanted to say she got out of the car and slammed the door. Adams had no time to say anything. As Cass stormed across the front lawn, Adams tried to think of something to say to her. He came up with nothing as he watched her throw open the front door and slam it shut as well. Defeated, he drove back to his precinct.

Once inside and out of the sight of Adams, Cass slid down the door and sat there. Tears welled in her eyes as all the anger and pain that she had held at bay for the last several hours began to erode her defenses. The first tears fell as Sonya reached the top of the stairs to see her aunt home early from work. She bounded down the stairs and ran up to her aunt.

"Auntie Cass, what's wrong," the 8-year-old asked stopping short of jumping on Cass.

Cass looked up at Sonya's innocent face through her tears.

"I had a really bad night at work, hon," Cass eventually said.

Sonya walked over to Cass's side and sat down. "Would you like a hug?"

Cass looked down at her niece. "A hug would be great," she said as she folded her arms around Sonya. Cass sat with Sonya sobbing for a long while, while Sonya hugged her aunt back.

When Cass had finally cried as much as she could she turned to Sonya, "Sonnie, there's something we have to talk about. Something happened to Stephanie and Michelle's dad today."

XXXXX

Al'brk'vix had successfully tracked the Arbitrator, Vek'rin'ka, to the _ooman_ healing building. Vek'rin'ka was so distracted with his female and her hunting companion that all Al'brk'vix had to do was wait. His surprise for Vek'rin'ka should not take too much longer.

Vek'rin'ka was sure that the male would die. No _ooman_ could loose that much _thwei_ and survive the wounds. Regardless, the _oomans_ summoned one of their screaming vehicles to come and take him away. The female jumped in with him and forced Vek'rin'ka to follow quickly. He noted that the vehicle had to have some kind of special authorization as all the other transportation vehicles moved out of its way and it did not stop at any intersection as other vehicles did. He would have lost it had it gone much further. He lost sight of the vehicle around a corner but the sound it screeched allowed him to follow its progress to its destination not too far away.

Vek'rin'ka slowed his breathing after the run over rooftops as he waited for the female to emerge from the healers' building. He surmised that she would not be too long, her companion was almost dead back in the alley way. It would not take him long to die. What he could not understand was why they were trying to save him. His death in the line of his duties would have been honorable. 'But,' he thought to himself, '_oomans_ don't know what honor is.' Then he thought of the female he was studying and added, 'usually.'

Vek'rin'ka was surveying the area around the hospital when his wrist-mounted computer beeped at him a short time later. The female still had not come out of the building, though he had seen the small child he had cut free taken in. He looked at the computer and opened the display. He tried to raise the automated systems check on his ship but could not get a connection. Growling in annoyance he closed the display and got ready to leave. He would have to check on his ship himself.

A trilled laugh from behind him caused Vek'rin'ka to spin around to see nothing. He drew his spear and moved into a general purpose combat stance. He knew his prey, Al'brk'vix, was here. He just could not see him.

"Ship broken, Vek'rin'ka," teased a disembodied voice.

"Show yourself, coward," demanded Vek'rin'ka.

"I don't think so. Not just yet," the voice came again.

Vek'rin'ka twisted to the right as he felt something pass his shoulder and brought his _ki'its-pa_ to bear. He could see nothing behind him. He could smell nothing on the wind. Whatever Al'brk'vix had done to the shift suit must have prevented any scent from escaping.

"You don't wish to fight, so why are you here?" Vek'rin'ka pushed.

With a soft hiss and crackle Al'brk'vix materialized fifteen feet in front of Vek'rin'ka.

"Why, to take pride in my accomplishments," Al'brk'vix admitted patting his wrist computer indicating his shift suit's capabilities. "And to see the face of the Arbitrator without a ship." Al'brk'vix stopped to see if Vek'rin'ka would pick up on the meaning of his words.

"So, you destroyed my ship," Vek'rin'ka replied calmly. "Good fortune smiles upon me, as none of my favorite trophies were in there, and I have all the weapons I need to defeat the likes of you right here."

Al'brk'vix was unnerved by Vek'rin'ka's calmness. He should be enraged that he had no way to get off this cold backwater dirt ball. Al'brk'vix continued to try to dissolve Vek'rin'ka's confidence.

"You know, I was going to use that female you've been tracking to bait you into a trap. Your sight is so clouded by her it would have been simple. Tell me," Al'brk'vix said as he took the _hiju_ position and pulled out his pilfered _ki'its-pa_. "Are you intending to take a mate this trip?"

The barb struck close. Vek'rin'ka's glare hardened as it iced over. A low rumbling filled the air. He matched Al'brk'vix's position and brought his own _ki'its-pa_ around.

"Do you care to repeat that, Bad Blood," Vek'rin'ka said in little more than a snarl.

"Sure," Al'brk'vix shot back defiantly. "You are infatuated with that _ooman._ You are a disgrace."

With a bestial roar Vek'rin'ka charged the Bad Blood in front of him. His massive weight flew across the roof as Al'brk'vix began his own charge. With spears at the ready both warriors prepared to attack. Just as he entered Vek'rin'ka's strike range Al'brk'vix dodged to the right and brought his _ki'its-pa_ around to the back of Vek'rin'ka's knees.

Anticipating the move, Vek'rin'ka moved his own _ki'its-pa _to block the strike. Spinning to face his opponent, he unleashed a right hook to Al'brk'vix's head.

"You have come to the appropriate place Bad Blood. A place of healers. Too bad they will be of no use to you," Vek'rin'ka taunted as he prepared to strike Al'brk'vix again.

Vek'rin'ka's spear swung at the abdomen of the Bad Blood. With lightning fast reflexes Al'brk'vix jumped over it and managed to land too close to Vek'rin'ka for him to employ that weapon again. Quickly, Al'brk'vix sent his left fist into Vek'rin'ka's stomach. Then he sent his left elbow into Vek'rin'ka's mask jarring it slightly out of position.

Vek'rin'ka was not about to allow the Bad Blood to get any more hits in. Letting go of his _ki'its-pa_ with his right hand he extended his _ki'cti-pa_. The twin 18 inch long blades shot out of their housing on his wrist with a well oiled _snick_. Swinging in a wide arch around him Vek'rin'ka tried to connect with Al'brk'vix as he passed by.

Al'brk'vix had moved to the right of Vek'rin'ka after hitting him with his elbow. He was about to move in for another attack when he heard the sound of Vek'rin'ka extending his wrist blades. He leapt to the side further away from Vek'rin'ka a second to late as the blades sliced his upper arm. He pulled back farther to assess the situation giving Vek'rin'ka enough time to readjust his mask.

With his vision no longer impaired Vek'rin 'ka spotted Al'brk' vix 20 feet ahead of him. Al'brk'vix was facing him, but Vek'rin'ka could see from his stance that he was no longer committed to this fight. One scratch and the coward runs, Vek'rin'ka thought to himself.

Running is exactly what Al'brk'vix did. The element of surprise was gone. He had no chance of beating Vek'rin'ka now. After the night's hunt his plasma cannon's power was drained, and he had not had the chance to recharge its power cells before he had taken off after Vek'rin'ka. Additionally, compared to Vek'rin'ka, his hand to hand skills were severely lacking. This was a lost fight so he did the one thing he excelled at. He ran.

Vek'rin'ka saw the cowardly Bad Blood pivot and start to run. There was no way that he was going to allow him to get away. Vek'rin'ka knew that Al'brk'vix would not head straight to his ship. Knowing the speed that Al'brk'vix could run, Vek'rin'ka knew that he would never be able to catch up with the yautja if he just followed. Instead of pursuing Al'brk'vix on whatever chase he had planned, Vek'rin'ka quickly headed back to the grouping of storage buildings.

Control of the ship was foremost in Vek'rin'ka's mind as he searched for the place it was hidden. If Al'brk'vix got back to the ship, undoubtedly he would strand Vek'rin'ka on this planet. Vek'rin'ka would not stand for that dishonor. He quickly traversed the warehouse rooftops searching for the one that had a hole large enough to admit one of his people's ships. With the added urgency not present the night before Vek'rin'ka found a warehouse with a gaping hole in roof. A quick scan of the building revealed the cloaked ship directly beneath the hole.

Vek'rin'ka swiftly jumped down into the building and began scanning for the access panel. The code breaking program he brought with him would easily crack the seal and reset all the command codes to his default settings. This was programming only a select few yautja knew about. Only Arbitrators and Elders knew it existed.

Feeling along the hull for the port, Vek'rin'ka had just found the hatch when he heard a soft thud and panting from the other side of the ship. Carefully pulling his spear from his back he checked to make sure his camouflage was active. Without extending the deadly _ki'its-pa_ he waited for Al'brk'vix to approach the hatch.

Al'brk'vix had been running for a while. He didn't look back to see if Vek'rin'ka had followed. If he had, Al'brk'vix intended to lead him well away from the ship. Last night the Arbitrator just got too close to the ship. When he got back to the ship he would leave. This Arbitrator was getting too annoying, and with only one ship left on the planet he did not want to risk it being commandeered by Vek'rin'ka. Besides, there were plenty of planets to hunt on.

With his advanced shift suit now inoperable Al'brk'vix approached the warehouse cautiously. He checked back repeatedly to make sure Vek'rin'ka had not followed him. Not seeing the tenacious warrior Al'brk'vix thought to himself that he must have turned back to check on his new pet.

Unknowingly Al'brk'vix followed Vek'rin'ka's path down to the ship. He quickly rounded the prow of the cloaked ship and walked right into Vek'rin'ka's fist. The blow knocked Al'brk'vix back a step. He barely parried the follow up strike of the spear with his instinctively extended _ki'cti-pa_. The metal sang as the two weapons met between the two warriors.

Holding the long weapon steady with one hand, Vek'rin'ka let go with his other hand and threw another punch into Al'brk'vix's head. The solid connection staggered the younger warrior again. While he was recovering from the blow Vek'rin'ka put his _ki'its-pa_ away. He stood before Al'brk'vix flexing his fingers waiting for the Bad Blood to try and strike back.

Shaking off the strike, Al'brk'vix glared at Vek'rin'ka. The Arbitrator stood arrogantly waiting a few steps away. The challenging stare enraged Al'brk'vix. Acting on his anger, Al'brk'vix charged at Vek'rin'ka. He pulled his right hand back with his _ki'cti-pa_ extended. He charged at his opponent with the intention of slicing the jugular.

Vek'rin'ka easily saw the telegraphed signs that Al'brk'vix would lunge at him. Vek'rin'ka waited for the right moment. He allowed Al'brk'vix to lunge and just as the swipe was made Vek'rin'ka backed and turned to the side. Grabbing the offending arm just below the gauntlet he wasted no time in bringing his own punch into the over extended elbow while pulling the wrist back towards him. The joint bent unnaturally with a sickeningly wet crack.

Al'brk'vix stumbled away in pain as he held his mangled arm. He looked at his useless arm and farther down it to the self-destruct device. Unable to fight any longer his only choice was to get away. He would kill the Arbitrator however.

Vek'rin'ka watched as Al'brk'vix looked down at the self-destruct device inset into the gauntlet on his forearm. Vek'rin'ka knew that Al'brk'vix was going to try to kill him, he just didn't expect Al'brk'vix to sacrifice himself to do it. Whatever Al'brk'vix's intentions, Vek'rin'ka had no intention of being killed by the same Bad Blood that had killed his sire.

While Al'brk'vix was inputting the activation code for the device, Vek'rin'ka closed the distance between them. Slashing the underside of the gauntlet, Vek'rin'ka's wrist blades severed the leather bindings and the mounted computer fell to the floor. Al'brk'vix made a desperate grab for the bomb as Vek'rin'ka kicked him in the chest. Ribs broke as Al'brk'vix was thrown away. Glancing down at the self-destruct Vek'rin'ka returned his gaze to Al'brk'vix struggling to stand. Lifting his sandaled foot, Vek'rin'ka brought it back down on the computer, safety disabling the small nuclear bomb contained within it.

Al'brk'vix watched as his last means of killing the Arbitrator in his current condition was destroyed. Al'brk'vix pulled up his targeting reticule for his plasma cannon. While the charge left in it was not going to stop Vek'rin'ka, it might just provide Al'brk'vix enough time to retreat and fix his injuries. Then he could get Vek'rin'ka. Squaring on the chest of his adversary Al'brk'vix fired the last bit of plasma from the shoulder cannon.

The charge hit Vek'rin'ka in his armored shoulder. Barely charring the plating Vek'rin'ka snarled at Al'brk'vix and began to approach him. Al'brk'vix saw his plan fall apart and ran for the ground level door that was on the ocean-side of the building. Jumping down and swinging himself around into a storm drain he quickly crouch-ran into the blackness. He was counting on Vek'rin'ka staying with the ship as he made his get away. That was no matter. He would just kill the Arbitrator later and change the command codes back to respond to him.

Vek'rin'ka let the injured Bad Blood run. Securing the ship was crucial. The disabled yautja would not be a problem for at least a day. He would be attending to his injuries and nursing his broken pride. After cleaning up the broken pieces of the computer that littered the floor Vek'rin'ka again approached the hatch of the ship to finish his decoding.

The program stored in Vek'rin'ka's own computer easily overrode the encryption on the ship and opened the hatch for the Arbitrator. Boarding the small ship, Vek'rin'ka made his way to the cockpit. The first order of business would be to reprogram the ship and then he would have to move it. They were in the area that the _ooman_ law enforcer was shot the previous night, on his search for this ship Vek'rin'ka had spotted others dangerously close to this building. He would have to find a place to conceal the ship then come back and track Al'brk'vix down.

Lifting off the ground, the engines barely hummed with the cloaking shield on. Carefully maneuvering out through the hole in the roof Vek'rin'ka had to wonder how the Bad Bloods had managed to squeeze the ship through such a tight place. Flying it over the city Vek'rin'ka made his way north west. Once he had dealt with that Bad Blood the ship would be within easy distance of the female _ooman's_ dwelling.

Once landed and secured, Vek'rin'ka made his way back to the only private quarters on the ship. Gathering everything that belonged to Al'brk'vix (known only from his scent saturating everything in the room) Vek'rin'ka tossed it all in a storage compartment. To destroy it now, while the owner was still alive, would be dishonorable. He would wait until Al'brk'vix skull was hanging in his trophy case and then all that was his would be incinerated. Lying on the padded bedding area, Vek'rin'ka rested for the rest of the day. He would check on the female in the evening. He wondered how she would deal with the death of her companion.

_**Author's Notes:**__ This is my longest chapter so far, I hope it was decent. Those danged fight scenes were impossible to write, that's what took so long. Chapter Eight and Nine should be up by Wednesday, maybe Thursday. After that, Chapter Ten will be a while. It's looking to be longer than this one and is going to be harder to write (it's a very important chapter). So enjoy, and remember to review. I can't improve if I don't know where I am going wrong, and a nice pat on the back is appreciated as well._


	8. The Innocence of Children

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter:** Eight: The Innocence of Children

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 2845

Waking from a restful slumber, Vek'rin'ka stretched his massive muscles and opened his mandibles wide in a yawn. Shaking off the sleep he re-equipped his armor and weapons. In his refreshed state he would track down Al'brk'vix and finish his mission.

Securing the ship Vek'rin'ka returned to the scene of the fight from the morning. There was no sign that either yautja had been there before, which was as it should be. He followed the faint scent trail Al'brk'vix had left when he fled to the edge of the dock. Approaching where Al'brk'vix had jumped off the dock Vek'rin'ka climbed down and spotted a storm drain that emptied into the water.

Making his way from post to post Vek'rin'ka approached the entrance of the tunnel. The thin strip of sand at the base showed no sign of having been walked on and Al'brk'vix's arm would not allow him to climb or swim for long. The tunnel was the obvious escape route. Dropping into a crouch so that the 5 foot drain would accommodate his 8'4" frame, Vek'rin'ka almost had to crawl through the space.

Advancing 10' into the tunnel Vek'rin'ka could not pick up any of the Bad Blood's scent. Cursing at himself for allowing Al'brk'vix to escape yet again, Vek'rin'ka backed out of the hole. The coward would be laying low for a while and with no way to track him Vek'rin'ka was at a loss. He didn't really blame himself though. The material most of the city was made off did not hold scent very well. It was not surprising that there was little scent left to track.

Coming feet first out of the small tunnel it suddenly hit Vek'rin'ka. Al'brk'vix knew about the female. There was no telling how much, but she would have to be checked on. She did not need to be involved in this. Vek'rin'ka knew she could hold her ground against an _ooman_ criminal, but against a yautja one, he did not know. As a mother, however, she shouldn't do too badly, especially if Al'brk'vix did something exceedingly stupid, like mess with the child.

Making his way carefully through the city, Vek'rin'ka worked his way northwest. He reasoned that the female would have left the healers' building by now, and if not she would soon head home. It would be best to check and make sure that Al'brk'vix had not bothered the family.

Vek'rin'ka finally reached the dwelling as the sun was setting. After scouting the area for Al'brk'vix, Vek'rin'ka staked out his previous perch in the old tree by the youngling's window. He was pleased with the small advantage that he received when he had destroyed the Bad Blood's wrist computer. Al'brk'vix no longer had his self-destruct device nor his enhanced cloaking device. It was an amazing piece of technology, but its destruction would not cause any feelings of regret amongst the technicians on the home world. It wouldn't have been touched. Not being the creation of a Bad Blood anyway.

Just minutes after settling himself, Vek'rin'ka watched as both the female and the youngling walked into the room. Both appeared to be upset, but were trying to comfort each other. Vek'rin'ka's sensitive ears heard the conversation through the open window.

XXXXX

Cass sat by the front door for a long time sobbing into Sonya. Sonya didn't know what had happened, but if her aunt was crying it must have been really bad. The last time her aunt had cried had been when she got to the hospital after the drunk driver had hit the car her family had been in.

Eventually Cass had stopped crying and told Sonya that she had to get ready for her day camp class. They would talk later. Right now Joann was waiting for her. Sonya scampered off to find her bag and get out to the car. She was worried about her aunt, but she was a strong person. Nothing too bad would happen to her.

After Sonya and Joann had left Cass made her way to her room. She collapsed on her bed and fell into a deep sleep. Exhaustion and suppressed grief produced a restless but dreamless sleep that lasted until Joann sent Sonya to get her up for dinner.

During dinner Cass tried to keep the conversation away from what was bothering her. Dinner was quickly eaten and dishes done before Cass led Sonya upstairs to talk to her.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka watched as the female sat the child down on its sleeping platform. When she knelt down in front of the youngling he leaned forward as far as the branch would allow. Their body language indicated that whatever was going to be said would be important and he didn't want to miss any of it.

"Sonya," the voice floated through the window. "Today, Mr. MacKenzie, Stephanie and Michelle's dad, was hurt."

Vek'rin'ka waited as the voice paused.

"Is he alright," Vek'rin'ka heard the child ask.

"No sweetie," the older female continued. "He died this morning."

"Oh. So…he's with mommy and daddy now in heaven?"

"Yes, Sonya. He's with your mom and dad."

Vek'rin'ka was stunned. The female wasn't the pup's mother. That could explain why she pursued such a dangerous lifestyle while she had a youngling at home. She may have been an Arbitrator for her kind before the child came into her care. The question about why she treated it like her own if it wasn't hers puzzled him though. She even had an _aseigan_ for it when she couldn't be there.

Vek'rin'ka watched through the window as the two females embraced. Usually when these _oomans_ lose someone close to them they lost water from their eyes. Neither of these two did. These appeared to be emotionally strong _oomans_.

Continuing the vigil, Vek'rin'ka watched the duo until they released each other. Listening to the _oomans_ after they departed he detected a slight wavering in the older one's voice. Her body language was tense though she was trying to hide it. Maybe it was the physical touch that provided _oomans_ strength. It was very different from his people who deemed uninvited contact as an offense. In fact, any physical contact was generally avoided most of the time.

"I have to have Joann drive us down to work to pick up the truck," Vek'rin'ka heard from the window.

The female was going to leave. Probably to return to the building she had gone to repeatedly with her former companion, if Vek'rin'ka's understanding of the word "work" was correct. The "truck" must be her transport vehicle. His planted tracking device showed it still stored near the suspected building. He had considered planting one on the female, but the opportunity to get close enough to her without being discovered had not presented itself.

Wanting to follow, Vek'rin'ka looked for the vehicle that the family was likely to take. The only one present was a small, completely enclosed one. Obviously he would have to make his own way. First he placed a tracking transmitter on the small transport, and then he started making his own way to the other building in the more commercial area of the city.

XXXXX

When Cass walked into the squad room everyone stopped what they were doing. Pausing ever so briefly to glare around the room making sure that Captain Adams wasn't around, Cass proceeded to her desk. While rummaging through the loose papers, files and memos one her desk she didn't notice Sonya as she grew bored and wandered down the hall to look for her friend, Steve, her aunt's boss.

Back in the main squad room Capt. Adams approached Cass at her desk.

"I thought I had made it clear to you. You are supposed to be on leave," Adams said sternly.

"Well I can't very well just leave my truck on the street now can I," Cass snarled back as she slammed one of her desk drawers closed and roughly pulled open another nearly spilling the contents on the floor.

After shifting various office supplies around she triumphantly held up her keys that had been hiding in the bottom drawer. Turning to her boss, "Now I can go have my precious time off." Turning and not finding Sonya with her she started looking for her, ignoring the trailing captain.

Meanwhile, Sonya had found an open but occupied interview room. A couple meters down the hall were a bunch of adults talking amongst themselves, but in the room a little girl sat alone. The room was not too inviting and the little girl looked scared. Taking it upon herself to introduce herself Sonya walked into the room.

"Hi," Sonya said startling the little girl out of her trance-like stare. "I'm Sonya."

"Hi," came a shy reply.

"What's your name?"

"Kristen."

"Hi Kristen, whatcha doin' here," Sonya asked.

"A monster hurt me. Did he hurt you too?"

"No, but my aunt works here. She's the best police officer ever. I bet she catches your monster. And she'll throw him in jail, too."

"I hope so," Kristen said staring at the table in front of her. She seemed on the verge of tears which Sonya sensed as she rounded the table. She walked up to the girl and hugged her. Kristen wrapped her arms around the 8-year-old and buried her face in the other's neck.

Through the two-way mirror Cass and Adams watched the two girls. The new primary detective on the case and Mr. and Mrs. Reca also stood there.

"I am going to catch this bastard," Cass said as much to her boss as the other detective.

"I kinda figured that. But I want you to talk to one of the department counselors. Soon," Adams said as he shrugged at the other detective. The other detective understood. They were all territorial of their cases. Add to that Cass's legendary stubbornness and there was no real chance that he would have finished the case anyway. He was just babysitting a hot one for a while.

"I'll talk to RunningWolf," Cass said as she walked into the room to collect her niece.

Both children turned to Cass as she entered. Sonya smiled warmly at her aunt. She turned back to Kristen.

"This is my aunt," she stated proudly. "And she is going to catch your monster. Aunt Cass, this is Kristen."

"I know. We've met before," Cass said as she smiled at the little girl.

"At the hostible," Kristen said as she smiled at Cass. "I know you will get him, the invisdible man will help."

Puzzled with the persistence of this 'invisdible man,' Cass chalked it up to the child's mind trying to deal with her recent trauma. She collected Sonya and started to head out the door.

Passing the Captain on the way out Cass told him firmly once more, "I AM going to get him."

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka had found the building with no problem. Bypassing the heavy evening traffic, he had no trouble reaching the area before the _oomans_. He searched from window to window looking for a vantage point to observe the female. He wondered why she would have brought the youngling to this place. There were undoubtedly _ooman_ Bad Bloods around here, they would be dangerous to the child. If what he had seen the previous night was any indication, they were especially dangerous towards the young. He just didn't understand her reasoning.

He found a window that gave him a view of the female. He, however, did not see the child. Where the hell could she have gone? This was no place for a child, especially an unattended one. Wishing he could enter the building he moved around the building moving from ledge to ledge. Soon he came to a window that was covered by rigid metal mesh on both sides of the glass. With the thermal imaging setting on his mask he could see two small beings in the room on the other side. One was the female's child, the other was smaller. Taking a more intense look at the other body he realized that it was the little girl he had pulled out of the storage building the night before.

Turning on the sound amplifier in his mask so that he could hear what the two young ones were saying, Vek adjusted his grip on the ledge. He heard part of something about a 'monster' hurting the smaller one. He certainly knew what the word 'monster' meant. The female's said something about 'throwing' it in 'jail'. Perhaps that is the place Bad Bloods went on this planet, but Vek'rin'ka could not see how this Bad Blood should be 'thrown' anywhere except onto the end of a _ki'its-pa_.

For the second time that evening Vek'rin'ka watched as two _oomans_ embraced. The larger, presumably older, child held the smaller one protectively as the small one buried her face in the other's neck. This physical contact must be very important to _oomans_ or at least females since he had not yet seen any males partake in such an activity. At that moment Vek'rin'ka heard voices from outside the room. Turning his amplifier up he picked out the voice of the female he was observing. 'I'm going to get him' is what he heard. Assuming it was the _ooman_ Bad Blood that she was talking about he felt an admiration for her determination. It was too bad that she was a mother. She would have made worthy prey.

At that point, the female walked into the room. The trio talked for a few moments. The two younglings seemed confident that the female would catch her prey, as did the female. She certainly possessed a fighter's spirit. Vek'rin'ka wondered how common this was among _ooman _females.

XXXXX

As Cass led Sonya out of the precinct house Sonya wanted to ask her aunt a question. Trying to find a way to ask it Sonya remained quiet for some minutes as they walked down the stairs.

"Who's the monster," Sonya finally asked Cass.

Cass was startled out of her thoughts when Sonya suddenly spoke up. Answering the question proved to be harder than it would have seemed. Cass wanted to protect Sonya from the ugly truth that was the world. As a cop, though, she also knew that what you didn't know could harm you, even kill you. She had seen that many times before.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat Cass looked down at Sonya as she kept walking. "The monster was a man who stole her from her mom at the mall."

Sonya didn't immediately understand and asked another question. "Why did Kristen call him a monster then, if it was a person?"

Trying to explain the inner workings of a traumatized four year old to an eight year old proved to be even more difficult. Cass finally settled on a simple explanation.

"Well, Kristen is very young and was very scared. The man that took her probably seemed more like a monster than a person."

"Like the boogieman," Sonya probed.

"Yes, like her own boogieman," Cass confirmed.

"So, who is the invisible man then," Sonya continued.

Cass felt a small smile tug at her lips. Sonya would make a great cop. For an eight year old her interrogation skills were very good.

"The invisible man that she talks about is just something she made up in her mind. Sort of to help protect herself. When she is better able to deal with what happened the invisible man will fade away because she will not need him to protect her anymore," Cass said sounding not completely convinced. She could not easily dismiss the handcuffs that had been cut so precisely. She doubted that Burns would have turned her loose, and if he did, why didn't he just unlock them with the keys? The nagging feeling continued as the duo made their way to the blue Chevy parked on the street near the building's entrance. Whoever else had been in that building certainly couldn't have been invisible. Invisible people only existed in the movies and on TV, Cass thought thinking back to all the Star Trek episodes that she had watched.

XXXXX

Seeing the _oomans_ leave, he decided it was time for him to go as well. He should have reported his progress already. Elder Hin'lig would want that progress report soon. That and he had a lot of information to sort through. Updating the ship's computer and filing all the new information would take a while.

Foregoing further observation of the female, Vek'rin'ka climbed onto the roof of the building. He made his way back to the ship carefully to ensure no one followed him. He hadn't encountered the _ooman_ male that seemed to turn up every place he did, but there was no reason to get careless. Especially with the apparent relationship the male had with the female he was studying. He could be anywhere, or show up anytime. More importantly, Vek'rin'ka absolutely did not want Al'brk'vix finding the ship. The ship would a key piece in the final out come of this hunt.


	9. Extended Working Vacation

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter:** Nine: Extended Working Vacation

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 2845

Arriving at the ship Vek'rin'ka made one last scan of the area. Satisfied that no one else was around he opened the hatch to the concealed ship. He entered directly into the small bridge and moved over to the communications consol. Finding the download interface he removed the memory disk from his wrist computer. Vek'rin'ka listened as the computer hummed to life and began to download the audio and visual recordings made since he had landed planetside.

Vek'rin'ka turned his attention away from the downloading computer and activated the transmitter. He shifted restlessly at the station as the signal was sent to the Council of Elders on the mother ship. The small bridge of Vek'rin'ka's ship seemed to grow smaller as he waited for a response. Vek'rin'ka had not decided how to tell the Elder Hin'lig that his daughter's killer was still alive. The warrior monitoring the incoming transmissions acknowledged the hail and the classified communication was routed straight into the council chamber.

The seven elders had been previously assembled in the great hall to deal with another dispute. The two parties in disagreement had filled the room with their aggressive _h'sui'se_. The pheromones added to the atmosphere of suppressed anger created by the pulsing orange glow of the walls. When the communication terminal signaled its activation the quarrelers were quickly dismissed from the chamber as well as the gallery of Honored Warriors that lined each side of the room. The three aged males returned to their seats on the raised platform after physically separating the two would be fighters. The female balance of the council waited impatiently to proceed with the incoming report.

At the command of the council leader a large holoscreen flickered on between two pillars opposite the raised platform of the Elders bench. Slowly the three dimensional image of one of the Setg'-in Clan's most skill Arbitrator's resolved into view.

"Greetings Honored Elders of Clan Setg'-in," Vek'rin'ka formally opened with.

After a momentary lag High Eldress Sytra'ti, leader of the Council of Elders responded, "Greetings Arbitrator. What news have you to report."

"I report that three of the Bad Bloods are _thei-de_. The Blooded Warrior Wrk'va has chosen to regain his honor. He went to his _u'sl-kwe_ by his own blade." Vek'rin'ka's voice deepened as he described the dispatch of the two UnBlooded. The disgust projected into his voice as he said, "The two UnBlooded that were not worth their names were defeated easily by my hand. Neither made a worthy trophy."

"And what of the Bad Blood, Al'brk'vix," demanded Hin'lig as he restrained himself from cursing Vek'rin'ka for not reporting in sooner. He was the sire of the slain Shalna, his youngest daughter, and he wanted vengeance. Part of him hoped that Vek'rin'ka would have captured the Bad Blood alive and returned him before the council so that he himself could rip Al'brk'vix apart with his bare claws.

A series of clicks signaled that the entire council was waiting on the answer to the question. Their eyes bored into Vek'rin'ka as he kept his focus steady ahead. He stopped the urge to shift on his feet as he prepared for the response of the council. Undoubtedly Hin'lig would be furious that Al'brk'vix was still loose.

"His fate has yet to be resolved," Vek'rin'ka briefly stalled as he waited for the elders' response. Excepting for a few sideways glances at Hin'lig there was none. "He has proven cowardly and has fled at every encounter with the aid of corrupted technology that prevented my tracking of him.

"He is, however, injured and will be dealt with shortly. The technology that permitted him to hide so well has been destroyed and he is now stranded on this planet. I have commandeered his craft and will be using it to return with proof of his death and my victory."

There was silence as the council contemplated the meaning of what Vek'rin'ka had said. Rarely would anyone use anything that had been employed by a Bad Blood. It would have disgusted any Honored Warrior to have to sink so low as to use the leftovers of dishonorable _s'yuitde._ "What is wrong with your ship, that you must use something defiled by a Bad Blood," a grizzled old male elder asked patiently.

Pausing to think of how to explain concisely what had prompted such a move Vek'rin'ka simply stated, "I used it as bait to draw the Bad Blood out at our last confrontation, destroying it in the process."

"That was a risky maneuver," a female elder said. Her tone was matter-of-fact and cool. Vek'rin'ka internally bristled at the rebuke. She was addressing him as if he were a young pup who didn't think about the consequences of his actions.

"If you had not gained control of the vessel you would have been stranded on that planet until the next Hunting party arrived," the old grizzled male inserted before Vek'rin'ka could form a response. Fortunately, the interruption gave him enough time to regain his senses and not sound disrespectful to the female elder when he replied.

"That is true. It was a calculated risk though, for I knew the disgraceful yautja would not be able to resist my trap."

"And if you had been stranded could you evade capture until the next Hunt, young one," High Eldress Sytra'ti asked. There was the unmistakable note of concern in her voice as she spoke. "The _oomans_ are becoming persistent in their attempts to gain our technology."

"Many warriors have met the Black Warrior on that planet," a gravely voice from the end of the bench informed. "What makes you think you are any better than those warriors?"

"I am still alive," Vek'rin'ka stated boldly drawing his shoulders back as a bit of arrogance surged through him. There was a unanimous hiss from the council before Vek'rin'ka realized the implications of what he had said. Humbled he quickly added, "My apologies to the honorable council. It was not my intention to disrespect the Honored Warriors that have fallen here.

"But the _oomans_ are being foolish. They are nothing that a good Hunter can not deal with," Vek'rin'ka assured. "The Hunters that have fallen have done so because they stay in one area too long and become over confident. They over hunt one small territory and have no knowledge of the areas surrounding it so that they may either regroup, or attack from a different angle. It is less the _oomans_ that kill our warriors, than our warriors' over confidence."

"Do you have anything else to report," the same grizzled old male elder from before asked.

Now was the time for Vek'rin'ka to explain to the council what he had found on Earth. "I have nothing else official to report, but I would ask the Council's permission to stay on this planet for a while," Vek'rin'ka requested.

"Do you plan on taking a few trophies once you have finished with Al'brk'vix," Sytra'ti asked. To many yautja Vek'rin'ka was a little strange. He had given up the Hunt fairly young to become an Arbitrator. He had mentored under his father since he had been an UnBlood. Not only had he learned the letter of the law, but the spirit of it as well. While it was a highly honorable position it had cost Vek'rin'ka. Arbitrators' busiest time for Bad Bloods often seemed to be during the breeding season leaving them little time to produce their own offspring no matter how many females would have accepted them as partners. Sytra'ti thought of the number of pups he had sired and how it was small compared to other Hunters his age. With only thirty-two sucklings at 120 rotations old, Vek'rin'ka was far behind. If he obtained a few more _ooman_ skulls, females may be more aggressive in seeking his seed.

"I have actually found an interesting hunt I wish to observe the ending of," Vek'rin'ka informed the council. "It is an _ooman_ Arbitrator hunting one of their own Bad Bloods."

"Why would this interest you," Hin'lig questioned. He silently fumed that the Arbitrator was wasting time watching an _ooman_ instead of tracking the Bad Blood he had been sent after.

"Could it be you are planning on hunting the victor of that Hunt? Either one of the skulls would bring you much honor and attract the attention of many females during the next breeding season," Sytra'ti probed.

"No, I would not. The Arbitrator is female. Not only that, she has a dependant youngling. It would not be honorable to Hunt her. The other is a Bad Blood who commits his crimes on younglings. It has been difficult to restrain myself from killing him, but he is not my prey, and I do not wish for a trophy from him," Vek'rin'ka said while he conveniently left out the part about him interfering in the rescue of the young female.

"I do not wish to dirty my blades or my wall with the blood or skull of a coward," Vek'rin'ka continued. "As that is what he surely is since he preys only on the young."

"So why does this hunt interest you so much," Hin'lig demanded, agitated that the Hunt for his daughter's killer was being rivaled by an _ooman_ hunt.

"It is a curiosity," Vek'rin'ka responded calmly. "I merely wish to see the outcome to satisfy my own curiosity."

"Just remember that curiosity can be dangerous. It can blind you to danger that approaches from the opposite direction," Sytra'ti warned.

"I have it well restrained, Elder. It will not interfere with the Hunt for the Bad Blood," Vek'rin'ka explained. "Though it may have actually led me to my next _ooman_ trophy."

"Very well," the leader of the council said speaking for the first time. "May your Path lead you to much glory and honor."

Vek'rin'ka reciprocated the traditional closing before disconnecting from the signal. The computer he had been using to download the recordings had gone quiet. With the opportunity to review the data Vek'rin'ka settled into the pilot seat. Casually he flipped through the new files. There was little that managed to attract any prolonged attention. Curiously one word kept recurring in reference to the female. "Cass."

It could have been her title, but the youngling referred to her as "cass" as well. Vek'rin'ka doubted that the child would refer to the female with such formality in private even if she did in public. Add in that none of the other _ooman_ Arbitrator's were referred to as such. He had heard them addressed as "detective," "officer," and one specifically as "captain." Ruling out "cass" as her title that left one other possibility.

It could be her name. It would make sense that even _oomans_ possessed a way to identify each other verbally. These were not stupid animals as some less open-minded Hunters thought, and quite a few dead ones would never know. _Oomans _were some of the most cunning prey sought by a Hunter. If nothing else, Vek'rin'ka thought to himself, it would provide a reference for himself to distinguish her from any other _ooman_ female, like the female _eta,_ in the recounting of this hunt.

Then there was the question about the child. Why was she in the care of the female, Cass? Were they related to each other? Yautja females would take care of their mother's, sister's etc, children if they were orphaned. It was, however, often stigmatized and treated as an outsider even within the family. Rarely were they completely accepted into the family such as this pup seemed to be. Was it because this Cass had no offspring of her own?

Thinking about the subject caused even more questions to surface while answering few. Vek'rin'ka grew frustrated at the lack of answers and decided to find out once and for all the relationship of the two females. He would have to find a way to collect a viable DNA sample from each of them. That would determine at least if they were from the same bloodline.

The test was simple enough and Vek'rin'ka had the medical computer on his ship that could perform such a test. Too bad this was not his ship. He would have to check the medical bay of this ship to see if it had such a computer. His original ship was by no means a top of the line Elder's vessel but it was not a scrap heap either. That medical computer was installed in most solo and pack ships that had been upgraded in the last hundred cycles.

Rousting from the chair, Vek'rin'ka moved down the corridor to check what the ship was equipped with in the way of medical equipment. He was slightly disappointed when he found that the ship did not have a medical bay. It was clearly a solo ship. There was the bridge in the fore of the ship with a corridor leading down the center to a large _kehrite._ On one side of the corridor was, of course, the private quarters Vek'rin'ka had already claimed. There was only one set on the ship. The other side of the corridor was the bathing room with a separate lavatory. At the end of the corridor was the _kehrite_. It was undoubtedly the largest room on the ship, and it was where Vek'rin'ka found what passed for medical facilities on this ship.

It was little more than a computer console mounted flush with the wall and a compartment underneath that most likely held various healing and bandaging supplies. It definitely suited the rest of the spartan ship. The entire design of the vessel was practical for a solo hunter. Vek'rin'ka all ready knew the lower deck contained only storage room and the engine compartment. How the four Bad Bloods had managed to share such a ship for any length of time made Vek'rin'ka wonder, perhaps they were all _h'ulij-bpe_ as well as dishonorable.

Abruptly he grumbled at yet another question forming. Surveying the ship was supposed to help answer questions, not create more of them. Vek'rin'ka made his way over to the computer and activated the interface. He scrolled through the functions and found what he wanted. The computer was capable of performing the test he needed.

Vek'rin'ka shut down the computer as it was no longer needed. Turning around he surveyed the rest of the _kehrite_. It was a large room with a weapons rack on the wall opposite the door, the effect being to show off the owner's weapons at first glance. Scattered skulls of various indigenous animals told Vek'rin'ka that the Bad Bloods had been hunting more than just _oomans_. They were of various shapes and sizes. There were of course _ooman_ skulls, as well as some canid ones and a medium-sized felid one.

A long skull with a long muzzle caught Vek'rin'ka's attention. It was large and broad. Large, strong teeth protruded from both the upper and lower jaws on the blunt muzzle. None looked to be adapted for chewing. The bone structure showed him where the massive muscles and tendons attached to the bone and worked the lower mandible. The animal's jaws were undoubtedly powerful. Whatever it was, it could be assumed that whatever it ate it simply ripped off chunks and swallowed them whole. This trophy would have been greatly valued if it had not been taken by a Bad Blood, earning the Hunter more females.

Vek'rin'ka left the _kehrite_. He had decided that he would acquire a DNA sample of the female when he had the chance to place the tracking device he had planned on her. The sooner that that task was accomplished the better Vek'rin'ka would feel. Not knowing where either Al'brk'vix or the female, Cass, were, was potentially dangerous. Well, not knowing where Al'brk'vix was, was just plain dangerous. If anything happened to Cass, Vek'rin'ka would be responsible. It was, after all, his carelessness that allowed Al'brk'vix to focus on her to begin with. If she was killed that would make Vek'rin'ka responsible for her affairs, most notably the pup since he doubted the _eta_ would remain with it. As much as he admired the pup for her apparent sportsmanship and strength of spirit, he wasn't looking for a pet.

Vek'rin'ka equipped his weapons and left the ship. He would go hunt down Al'brk'vix and kill him. Just so that he could count this Hunt over and hang the skull on his wall, Vek'rin'ka told himself. He tried not to think about the female being killed by the Bad Blood. He didn't like the feeling it elicited. Yes, Vek'rin'ka tried to burn into his mind, soon he would have a new skull to show his prowess in the Hunt.

Swiftly, the cloaked figure of the Arbitrator moved back towards the city. Tonight he would Hunt for the Bad Blood. He may even have the good fortune of encountering the _ooman_ that so brazenly stalked him. That would be a trophy that would bring him much honor. A brave _ooman_ to be sure and quite clever so far, but not clever enough.


	10. Saying Goodbye

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Ten: Saying Goodbye

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count: **8041

Vek'rin'ka searched the city for three days and nights for Al'brk'vix. He had been having no success finding him which was both a blessing and a curse. Not finding any lingering scent near the _ooman's_, Cass's, home was a blessing. It meant that Al'brk'vix wasn't currently stalking her. That eased Vek'rin'ka's mind ever so slightly. He had given up the idea of resting on the ship and all but stood guard over the female's dwelling.

Not finding any trace of the Bad Blood infuriated Vek'rin'ka though. He had never had a Bad Blood Hunt take this long. Whatever hole Al'brk'vix was hiding in must have been very deep and very dark. It had been days since the fight for the ship and the injuries that Vek'rin'ka had inflicted on Al'brk'vix would be well on their way to being repaired. Soon Al'brk'vix would be back to his full strength.

For the last couple days Vek'rin'ka had stayed close to Cass's home. He observed her go about what he assumed was her normal routine. She would rise in the morning and hustle the little one off to an education center. Then she would go down to her workplace and stay there all day. She didn't seem to be hunting her own Bad Blood very hard. Perhaps she was simply regrouping. All the _ooman_ Arbitrators seemed to work in pairs. And it was well known that _oomans_ formed deep bonds with their families and companions. Loosing her hunting companion was undoubtedly a hard blow. Vek'rin'ka wondered if she realized how closely the Black Warrior walked with those who hunted the dishonored. It would be disappointing if she was malingering because her fighting spirit had been broken so easily. That would have meant Vek'rin'ka had wasted precious time observing a weakling _ooman_.

The female, Cass, would stay at the workplace until the mid-afternoon. Then she would retrieve the youngling and go back to her home. Observing the youngling proved to be entertaining. She was energetic, intelligent, and respectful and generally seemed happy. She was obviously recovering from the recent death with the normal resiliency of youth. The small family attended another of the child's games that Vek'rin'ka had previously witnessed. To his disappointment the courting male did not make an appearance. He seemed to be staying away in the last few days. Vek'rin'ka had found no more sign of him than he had of Al'brk'vix since the night the male _ooman _Arbitrator was killed.

Vek'rin'ka observed one unusual ritual that happened nightly. As the female put the pup to sleep for the night she would bring out an odd tool that was configured from a hollow box with a long stick on one end. From the end of the stick down to the mid-point of the box, past a circular hole cut into the box, were metal strings. When struck each string would produce a different sound. To accompany the oddly melodical noises that the instrument made Cass would vocalize. Her pitch would rise and fall with the pitch of the melody she played. The words rarely made sense. Vek'rin'ka heard phases like "you are my sunshine" and "forever young." The child was bright, but not nearly as bright as a star and no one remained young forever.

Regardless, the sounds were soothing and the youngling would quickly fall asleep. It reminded Vek'rin'ka of how yautja mothers would purr to their young. They would sleep deeply knowing that their mother was close by and they were protected. It was undeniable that purring elicited trust. This ritual that was performed every night looked to have the same effect.

On the third night Vek'rin'ka finally got the opportunity to get the samples he sought. The _aseigan_ had left with another male earlier in the evening. It was just the two _oomans_ that he was interested in left in the house.

Cass had put the pup, Vek'rin'ka still didn't know her name, to bed and retired as well. She had her resting chamber's window open allowing him to enter the dwelling silently. Entering another's home, especially a female's private chamber, was extremely bad manners, but not something unforgivable. Besides, Vek'rin'ka reasoned, he had no intention of hunting her.

Quickly, before she had a chance to wake up and discover him, Vek'rin'ka placed his chemical sprayer near her face. The air borne tranquilizer lingered in the air momentarily until Cass inhaled it. As she sank deeper into her slumber Vek'rin'ka disengaged his cloak. The tranquilizer would ensure Cass remained dormant for a short while. Vek'rin'ka pulled a small tube with a short needle-like tip out form a small pouch on his belt. Blood was best for DNA sampling, so he looked for a shallow vein. There were several near her wrists and he carefully slipped the needle into one.

While the vial filled Vek'rin'ka contemplated where to put the tracking device. The device itself was small, no larger than the seed of a _naxa_ fruit. It was designed to be inserted subcutaneously so it would leave no indication of its presence, unlike the devices used by Hunters. They wanted their targets to know they were being tracked and to fear what was coming. Those trackers were attached on the neck to the major artery supplying the brain. Any tampering would cause it to dig in deeper, shredding tissue as it went and causing excruciating pain. Vek'rin'ka had never used one in his Young Blood or Honored Warrior hunts. It took too much of the challenge out of the hunt and often the prey would just give up and not give a good fight in the end. When Arbitrator's used tracking devices it was usually to track a Bad Blood back to the rest of his outlaw pack. If the Bad Blood knew he was being tracked he wouldn't go back. Vek'rin'ka just had to find a spot that he could easily retrieve this device from later with minimal invasiveness and where the inevitable bruise would not be noticed.

Vek'rin'ka finally settled on the back of her upper arm. Once the device was loaded into the injector he firmly took a hold of her left arm. He placed the end against the skin and pressed the trigger button. A harsh pneumatic hiss sounded as the tracking device was forced under the skin. Cass whimpered slightly and rolled away from the sensation in her sleep. Vek'rin'ka let her arm go and backed away. He flipped open his wrist computer and checked to make sure the device was transmitting on the correct encrypted channel.

Assured that he, and only he, could pick up the signal Vek'rin'ka silently left the bed chamber. He moved down the corridor to where he roughly guessed was the child's room. Outside the home it was easy to find the different rooms. Inside proved more difficult. The first room he tried turned out to be a bathing and lavatory room, but the second was the right one.

The pup was curled up on her side. The coverings had been discarded to the bottom of bed and a small, fuzzy object was clutched tightly in her hand. She quietly snored, sounding like her own rough purr to Vek'rin'ka. As he crept towards the bed he stepped on a floor board that squeaked as he placed his weight on it. The pup stirred and opened her eyes.

Groggily she asked, "Aunt Cass?"

Vek'rin'ka froze in place. The child blinked her eyes a couple more times until she finally was able to focus on him. Only then did Vek'rin'ka remember he had disengaged his cloak in the female's chamber and cursed himself for leaving his cloak off. He made his way carefully over to the pup that showed no fear of him.

"Are you the invisible man," the youngling asked as she lifted her head off the pillow.

Vek'rin'ka placed his hand to the side of her head. What could have been viewed as a gentle petting was in reality a restraint so that the child would not move as he administered the tranquilizer. He nodded in response to the child's question. He had heard the little survivor call him that and he figured that it meant his cloaking technology. She didn't see the sprayer come up under her face as she watched Vek'rin'ka. When the sedative was triggered she yawned widely and sank down to her pillow.

"Oh," she said sleepily. "Then why aren't you invisible?" Just as she finished asking she slipped into unconsciousness.

Vek'rin'ka trilled a stifled laugh as he quickly retrieved another blood vial and inserted the needle end into the same set of veins as on Cass. This little pup was amazing. Any other _ooman _her size would have tried to run and hide. She stayed perfectly calm, not even a faster beat to her heart to indicate any stress.

After filling the second vial Vek'rin'ka quickly opened the room's window and pushed the screen aside. There was no telling when the other occupant of the home would return. The _ooman etas_ were certainly given a lot of latitude for their personal comings and goings. Once he had passed through he replaced the glass pane and secured the screen back. Jumping from the side of the dwelling to his normal tree perch Vek'rin'ka climbed down and left the city. He would start the DNA analysis now. It would take a while to complete, but he should have the results by the time this planet's sun set next.

XXXXX

Cass woke early the next morning. There was a dull ache in her head reminiscent of a hangover. Regardless, she pushed herself up and found her arm also aching. She must have slept on top of it. She climbed out of bed and prepared for her day. It promised to be a long one.

Her dress uniform was crisp and she fixed her hair under her cap. When she was satisfied with her appearance she made her way down the stairs. Joann had taken Sonya to her day camp earlier that morning even though she was complaining of a headache. That made getting ready easier. Cass wouldn't have to explain to Sonya why she was getting dressed up. Nor would she have to find a way around telling her that she was going to Gerold's funeral. Cass would never lie to Sonya, but just mentioning funerals upset her. Avoiding Scott had been difficult enough. She had finally unplugged her phone when his incessant calls would not stop. Right now, she didn't want to talk to anyone.

Cass stopped at the mirror in the front hall. She tucked an errant wisp of hair back behind her ear and studied her reflection. What she saw was a pale and drawn face that she barely recognized as her own. Her icy blue eyes were dull and red. The life that normally sparkled there was no where to be found. The puffiness from crying had gone down and liberal amounts of cover up concealed the redness. Satisfied that she appeared to be her cool, collected, strong self she left the house.

The church was already crowded when she arrived. A seat up front next to Captain Adams and Gerold's family, just like her parking space, had been reserved for her. The closed casket was placed in front of the alter, covered with an American flag. A large photograph of Gerold was placed on top of it wreathed with roses and baby's breath. The large organ at the back of the church played "Amazing Grace" as the church filled. Hundreds of Miami-Dade police officers and other first responders came in dress uniform to honor their fallen comrade. The pews were a sea of navy blue and white.

The doors were finally closed and the Roman Catholic priest began the funeral mass. The church remained hushed save for the sobbing of several of the parishioners. Throughout the service Cass forced herself to remain stoic and not cry. She didn't want Gerold to look down from where ever he was and see how weak his partner had become. Her hand itched to pull out the St. Christopher's medal on the chain around her neck. To hold it would give her comfort, knowing that the patron saint of peace officers was there, nearby, to give her strength.

By the end of the mass she was barely listening to the Father. She stared blankly ahead, on autopilot as she moved through the motions of the service. Stand, sit, kneel, cross yourself. Her body was there; her mind was a million miles away. She reflected on her own faith. Her father had raised her to believe and respect God. When he had died her world had crumbled away. In her youth she couldn't see God working, being there for her. She felt that He had abandoned her and she resented Him for that. The only thing that remained of her youthful beliefs was the medal her father had gifted to her on her tenth birthday. He couldn't stay for her birthday dinner so he gave her the medal and promised to see her after work, wake her up even. It was the last time she saw him.

Tears threatened to roll as the memories came flooding back. God had come and taken another life from her. The anger rose within her and she bit it back. She could not give in to basic urge to rip apart every part of the church. She forced down the rage and swallowed. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Adams looking at her. When he saw Cass look at him he put his free hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. She resented his touch, but this was not the place to air their grievances with each other. This was for Gerold. The service ended just then and the chosen pallbearers carried the casket out to the waiting hearse.

The priest, alter boys and readers followed. Next, Gerold's wife and daughters filed out of the pew followed by Adams and Cass. All the assembled people stood at attention as the casket passed by. The street in front of the church was just as crowded as the church itself. A piper played "Scotland the Brave" as Gerold was loaded into the back of the waiting hearse. Gerold's family, the captain and Cass were ushered to a waiting limo to take them to the graveside service. The pallbearers and the piper seated themselves in another limo ready to take them to the cemetery. The distance was too long for a walking procession so people began to file out and make their way to their cars.

The ride was solemn and quiet. No one in Cass's limo said anything. The two girls were silently crying while their mother tried to console them. Cass watched helplessly. She remembered doing the same for Sonya when her parents had been laid to rest. Time would be the only thing to heal the wound.

As the limo pulled into the cemetery Cass could see the riflemen come to attention. The priest was waiting at the gravesite, solemn and dignified as his white robes blew gently in the breeze. The piper hurriedly got out of the car and took his position a little ways away from the graveside. Once he was in his place he continued with playing "Scotland the Brave."

The mourners began to take their seats. Captain Adams took a seat next to Gerold's wife. Cass sat on the opposite side with the two girls between her and the widow. Once almost everyone was assembled the priest began his service.

Cass again turned her thoughts to her father. She began to compare his and Gerold's deaths against her will. There were too many similarities between them. If she started to compare Gerold and her father she realized she would eventually start to compare herself to her father's partner, Adams. She couldn't do that. It would only lead to her hating herself as much as she hated Adams or her beginning to forgive Adams. She wasn't prepared to do either.

Cass was pulled out of her inner war by a small hand placed lightly on her arm. She looked down at Gerold's youngest daughter. She was staring forward and Cass realized that the service was nearing completion. The honor guard was half finished folding the flag that would be presented to Gerold's wife.

With trembling hands the flag was accepted. Tears silently rolled down the widow's cheeks as the red, white, and blue material was set into her hands. Once the officer stood back and saluted her, seven riflemen were ordered to raise their guns. Everyone seated rose to stand. All in uniform stood at attention.

When the first round was fired the little girl startled and grabbed onto Cass's leg. Cass had to admit that she flinched as well. She held the girl tight as the second and third volleys sounded. Once finished the service was over. Mourners followed the family past the casket as they paid their last respects.

The waiting limousines took their passengers back to the church to pick up their vehicles. Cass got into her truck and drove to Gerold's old home. There was a private wake being held there for family and close friends. Sitting outside, Cass stared at the home for a few minutes. Cass didn't want to go in. There would be no smell of home cooking this time. No two little girls to joyfully greet her at the door. It was the right address, but it wasn't the same home.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka watched as the _oomans _gathered in a large stone building. The architecture of the building depicted an age older than the surrounding area. In his own hunts on this planet he had found that the buildings made of stone and wood were the older ones, a remnant of previous generations. The new buildings were made of metal and glass, many of which would not survive to the next generation.

Many _oomans_ entered, including Cass, before the doors were closed. Many more _oomans_ were left outside. Scanning the group quickly Vek'rin'ka saw that many of them were armed. He stayed motionless on the roof of a building across the street lest he be spotted by one of the _oomans_ below. There were far too many armed ones down there to risk being seen.

The sounds coming from within the building reminded Vek'rin'ka of what Cass did to put the child to sleep. It sounded like a different instrument, but the principles were the same. Pitches rose and fell, often in repetitive order. He could hear many _ooman_ voices from within the building and several outside were vocalizing as well. Again, the voices rose and fell with the sounds the mysterious instrument made. He watched the _oomans_ that had been denied entrance wait outside the building. Many were dressing in the same clothing. Such conformity probably meant that they belonged to the same group or pack, a very large pack, just as his Blooding mark identified him as belonging to the Setg'-in Clan. Instead of dispersing as Vek'rin'ka guessed that they would the _oomans_ remained waiting outside the building. He did not understand the reason for the gathering, but whatever it was, it must have been important to warrant such attention.

It was not until the doors opened and six of the similarly dressed _oomans_ carried out a large cloth covered box that Vek'rin'ka realized what the gathering was. He didn't have to scan the box to know it either. The _oomans_ were honoring the death of another. With Cass, not to mention all the armed _oomans_, there Vek'rin'ka assumed that it would be the fallen Arbitrator. He must have been well-known and respected to garner such attendance at his funeral.

Vek'rin'ka nearly activated his plasma cannon was a new melody filled the air. It had a constant whining hum that was overlapped by a high-pitched screeching. He would have given almost anything to have the noise stop. He looked for the source of the ear-splitting cacophony until he saw a large male wearing female's clothing. He carried under his arm a large bag that had several pipes on it. One he was blowing in, another he was moving his fingers on; the others were arranged over his shoulder. It was he who was producing the agonizing sound.

The box was loaded into a waiting vehicle and the _oomans_ began to disperse. Mercifully the caterwauling stopped as the player got into another vehicle. With senses cleared, Vek'rin'ka spotted Cass as she got into yet another vehicle. The vehicle with the fallen Arbitrator started away and the two other long vehicles followed it. A long line of vehicles formed behind the three leaders and the procession moved slowly down the street. Vek'rin'ka thanked Paya for the opportunity to plant the tracker the previous night. Keeping up with the procession was easy for the moment, but _ooman_ land vehicles usually didn't travel this slowly. If they sped up, he wouldn't lose the female.

The procession finally came to a stop at a burial ground. The box was removed from the vehicle and taken over to an area obviously prepared for it. To Vek'rin'ka's chagrin the same music that preceded the loading of the box at the building started again. He retreated as far from the noise as he could while still being able to see the proceedings. He found a perch in a leafy tree that would hide him even if his shift suit malfunctioned.

Vek'rin'ka watched a man in heavy robes perform what must have been a burial ritual. When the robed leader was done a group of _oomans_ stepped up to the box and picked up the material covering. With precision they began folding it up. The material was presented to a female up front. Quite possibly, she was the deceased's lifemate.

It was not until then that Vek'rin'ka noticed the small child clinging to Cass. To his amazement she was holding it back, comforting it. This was yet another pup that was not hers that she tended to. Was it the nature of the _ooman_ female to care for every youngling they met, or was this one unusual?

Seeing several armed _oomans _raise their weapons Vek'rin'ka reacted instinctively. He dropped into a fighting stance and extended his _ki'cti-pa_. He stepped forward on the thick branch to meet the challenge when the _oomans_ fired for the first time. It took him a couple seconds before he figured out that the _oomans_ were not firing at him. They were shooting at the sky. Perplexed, Vek'rin'ka retracted his blades and cocked his head to the side in silent question. Was this ritual part of the burial he wondered as the _oomans_ fired twice more.

The _oomans_ began to move back towards their vehicles. The ceremony was apparently over and everyone was leaving. Thankfully the screeching created by the piped bag quit as well. Vek'rin'ka stayed concealed in his tree perch until the last of them had left. The _ooman,_ Cass had left in the same long vehicle she had come in. Once the area was devoid of _oomans_ Vek'rin'ka opened the wrist computer and checked on the tracker's location. It was heading back towards the other that he had placed on Cass's personal vehicle along the same route that she had originally taken to the burial ground.

Vek'rin'ka started to make his way back to the building until the computer showed him that both the trackers were moving away from the stone building. Changing his course, he began to follow the new trajectory. It led him away from the central part of the city into another area filled with residential structures. This area was far away from the female's home and he wondered what she was doing here. There were several _oomans_ here as well as the female that received the cloth from the burial. Though he wanted to get closer to find out what was going on there were too many _oomans_ to risk being spotted. There were even children present, and they had an uncanny ability to spot even a cloaked hunter.

Vek'rin'ka had only just found a niche in the gable of the building next door when Cass came running out of the house. A quick scan showed him that her heart was racing and a soft breeze brought the scent of fear. Jumping quickly from his hiding spot he followed her to her vehicle, freezing when she didn't immediately climb in. He watched her reach under the seat for a metal box from which she pulled out a weapon, a burner. Once it was secure on her belt she climbed into the cockpit of the vehicle and started the engine. Smoothly he leapt into the open back of the vehicle. When the vehicle lurched forward with a sudden acceleration Vek'rin'ka sank his claws into the metal of the floor. The vehicle sped through the streets as he wondered what could have spooked the female so badly.

XXXXX

When Cass had finally worked up the strength to walk into Gerold's old home she had mingled absent-mindedly with the guests while avoiding Adams. The atmosphere didn't seem right to Cass. People were eating and drinking. Raucous laughter was heard as friends and family told stories of Gerold in better times. This was not the somber reflection that Cass remembered her father's wake to be. Everything just felt wrong.

Not wanting to attract any attention, most especially from Adams, Cass smiled when someone smiled at her, forced herself to laugh at the funny stories being told, and generally act like everyone else. Cass had seen RunningWolf at the funeral and the graveside service but it didn't look like he had been invited here. She breathed a small sigh of relief that she would not have to deal with him trying to talk to her now. Right now she didn't want to talk to anyone.

A nearby cell phone jarred Cass out of her introspective thought. Reactively looking for the person who would answer the call Cass sheepishly realized it was her own that was ringing. She quickly made her way towards the kitchen that contained fewer people so she would have more privacy. Looking quickly at the call display she saw that it was central dispatch calling her.

Silencing the phone Cass placed the cell to her ear and answered the calm, cool voice on the other end.

"Hadley here," Cass's tone was clipped as she spoke.

"Detective Hadley, this is central dispatch. We have received a 911 call from one of your neighbors reporting a disturbance at your residence." There was little emotion in the voice showing the years of professional experience dealing with high stress situations. "We have sent a cruiser out to investigate."

"I'll be there in 20 minutes," Cass interrupted the operator. She had felt her heart stop when the dispatcher had told her of a disturbance at home. Sonya and Joann should be back by now. What could have happened? She didn't wait for the response before she closed the phone and bolted for the front door, fishing her keys out of her pocket.

As she ran through the front room where Adams was sharing the story about a murderer they caught last year Cass heard his phone ring as well. She turned her head slightly and locked eyes with him but kept running out of the house. The heat from the early evening hit her like a sledge hammer when she exited the nicely air-conditioned home. The concrete and asphalt steamed with the oppressive heat but it did not have anything to do with the cold sweat she had broken out in. Not breaking stride as she ran down the steps and across the lawn to her truck she reached it in less than half a dozen steps. Opening the door, she fumbled under the driver's seat for the lock box containing her side arm. She was dimly aware of Adams calling her before she jumped into the cab and sped away toward her home.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka regretted jumping into the vehicle after the first sharp turn. The female's piloting was erratic with an excess of speed. The vehicle pitched to one side and despite his grip on the underlying frame work he was slammed into the side wall on his left. His claws where the only reason he was not thrown from his place. The travel was so violent and unpredictable Vek'rin'ka dared not let go of his hold to check where they were heading.

There was another vehicle following them. It was wailing as other emergency _ooman_ vehicles did. The wild ride finally ended in an area familiar to Vek'rin'ka. They had arrived at Cass's home. The vehicle squealed its protest as it skidded to a stop at a flimsy barrier stretched across the street between trees. While the female bolted out of the vehicle Vek'rin'ka crawled out of the back of the vehicle. He briefly steadied himself as his knees threatened to buckle. Remembering that another vehicle would be approaching, he shook off the feeling and moved to his tree, quickly climbing up to conceal himself. There were several of the emergency vehicles present. Some belonged to the law enforcers. Vek'rin'ka recognized another of the vehicles as one that was used to transport injured _oomans _while medics tended to them. The only thing that he could think to have happened was that the family had been attacked. The child and the _eta_ had been gone when he had arrived back that morning. Could they have returned home just to be assaulted? He asked Paya to watch over the young life and prayed that it had not been Al'brk'vix that had attacked the home.

He took a moment to sweep his surroundings. There was no scent of yautja other than his own musk, so Al'brk'vix had not been near the home. The strongest scents on the air chilled him. The scent of the accelerant used by the_ oomans'_ burners was heavy and mingled with the scent of their metallic smelling blood. There was a lot of blood spilled somewhere. If it had been inside the home, Vek'rin'ka would not have been able to smell it easily. From his hiding place in the tree near the front of the home Vek'rin'ka saw many _oomans_ scurrying around. He spotted Cass over near the medics' vehicle being restrained by two of the uniformed Arbitrators. She was fighting with them and the medics to get to the building only calming when the _ooman_ from the following vehicle spoke to her. Then he turned and entered the building while the two medics injected something into her.

XXXXX

Cass had seen the red and blue lights strobing as she turned onto her street. The quarter mile from the corner to the yellow crime scene tape could not have passed faster if she had been driving a sports car instead of a pick up truck. Slamming on the brakes, the truck skidded to a halt with its hood under the tape. Cass bound out of the cab and dashed under the tape. Two uniformed officers grabbed her before she could get into the house. Two other hands grabbed her from behind and helped the two other cops drag her over to the ambulance. Trusting the other officers to keep Cass away, Adams went into the house to find the person in charge of the scene.

The number of people inside house crowded it. Adams fumed at the lack of common sense being used at this crime scene. The more people that were allowed into the scene, more likely that evidence would be destroyed or contaminated. Passing through the front hall, Adams found the first detective on the scene in the living room talking with an evidence technician over the body of a young woman. Adams strode over to the detective and announced his presence with a huff.

The man turned quickly to see who had interrupted him. Before seeing the rank on the uniform he snarled, "What do you want?"

Unimpressed by the detective's attitude and inept handling of the crime scene Adams retorted to the stunned cop, "I want to know why the hell you are letting all these unnies tramp all over the evidence. Then I want to know what the hell happened here?" Adams face had gone red as he yelled at the impertinent detective.

"Well, I, uh," the detective stammered. He couldn't think of a way to appease the obviously angry captain who was interrogating him like a suspect.

"Oh, I see. You heard about a glory case and are grand standing, aren't you? Do you honestly have that little respect for a victim? For another cop?"

Properly chastised, the detective hung his head before speaking again. "We have one vic in here. She's been shot twice in the chest." The captain looked over the body that was lying on the couch. It looked like she had been caught asleep. There were powder burns on her clothes that indicated that the barrel was close when the gun was fired. Blood had run from one of the wounds to soak the couch and drip onto the floor. The other had apparently left an arterial spray pattern on the backrest of the seat.

Finally looking back at the captain the detective continued, "There is a second victim in the back yard. It's a little girl."

Adams felt his heart drop when the detective said that. Without saying a word the captain turned and left the room. He made his way through the kitchen where three more evidence technicians were working on a counter top. He didn't pause to find out what they were doing at the moment. He made his way out the back door and walked over to the four cops milling around another body lying on the ground. It was small and in its current state it looked completely broken. The red hair was caked to her back as she lay face down in the grass. The three bullet wounds entered through her back throwing her forward when she had been struck.

The plain clothes detective that was tending to this victim walked over to the captain. "Hey, boss. Right mess here," pausing before continuing he pulled out a damp handkerchief and wiped his forehead of sweat. "She was shot three times in the back. Doesn't look like the cowardly bastard even entered the back yard. The techs say his boot prints end at the threshold."

"Has the ME seen her yet?"

"Yeah, she should be back shortly to removed the body."

Adams cringed when the little girl he had seen so full of life and happiness was referred to as 'the body.' He bent down to her and gently turned her head. He saw the face of Sonya. Her eyes, which had squeezed shut when she felt the bullets hit her had not relaxed with her death. Her face was contorted with pain and fear. There was no peaceful expression that many people expect from a body once the life leaves it.

The captain stood back up with his head hanging, slumped forward as if his shoulders carried the weight of the world. Walking back into the home he pulled a picture off the refrigerator. In it Sonya and Joann laughed at the camera. He then proceeded back through the house and out the front door.

Cass watched wearily as Adams approached her holding a small piece of paper. He stopped before her and looked down at the thin slip in his hand before turning it to face Cass. On it she saw her niece and her friend sharing a moment of joy. Her world shattered as Adams told her that both of the people in the picture were dead. Sonya was her light, the reason for everything Cass did. Joann had been a godsend after Faith's death. Now they were both gone. Everything was gone.

Her despair boiled to the surface and exited her body as a gut wrenching scream as she started to collapse to the pavement. The quick catch of Adams was the only thing that prevented her from falling down completely. He held her as she wailed again, and would have continued to hold her had the two detectives not interrupted with an urgent need to speak with him.

Adams had the two paramedics hoist Cass onto the step of the ambulance while he went to talk with the two serious looking men. One of them, the arrogant one from the living room, was holding a clear, plastic evidence back with a piece of paper in it. Once they were out of sight of the distraught Cass the first detective handed the bag over to Adams.

"The techs found this on the fridge," he said.

Adams looked at the hand written note inside the bag. Reading it aloud he could barely contain the anger at the end. It read:

'Dear Detective Hadley,

I hate to be ignored. This is your punishment for slacking off my case in the middle of the challenge. If you do not start working again I will come after you and we can settle this mano-et-mano, or should I say mano-et-womano, since I have taken all that you hold dear.

Your dearest fan,

Gregory Burns'

The captain looked up and handed the note back to the two detectives. He left them standing there as he walked back over to Cass. With a hand placed on her shoulder he spoke to her.

"Cass, as of now, you are on leave indefinitely," he said while adding, "And I won't stand for you fighting me on this. We are putting you in protective custody." Cass was dazed. She was not crying and stared blankly at the side of the marked car parked nearby. The second shot of sedative was finally setting in and she was no longer struggling to get into her home.

Adams helped her up and walked her to his car. While he was bracing her on his shoulder he deftly removed her gun from its holster tucked it into his belt. She didn't say anything to him as he helped her into the car and secured her seat belt for her. Before getting into the driver's seat, he walked around the back of the car and put her gun in a lock box in his trunk. Climbing behind the wheel, Adams drove away with her.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka cautiously moved onto the roof of the building. The tree provided a view of the front of the building and into the child's bed chamber, but he could not see into the area behind the home. Once he was on the roof he moved towards the rear. There were a handful of _oomans_ there surrounding a small form on the ground. None of the _oomans _made any move to disturb the body. Vek'rin'ka had seen this scene before. It had not even been one minor lunar cycle since he had witnessed the deceased child in the park being treated this way. Vek'rin'ka scanned the body anyway to confirm the identity of the victim for himself. Though rapidly cooling, the body was that of the female's youngling. The infrared scan showed him the large pools of blood surrounding her and an internal scan found three of the projectiles that were fired from a burner. A low growl rose in Vek'rin'ka throat as he thought of the promising pup being killed in her own home, a place that should have been a sanctuary for her. Silently backing up, still watching the pup, he prayed to the Black Warrior to protect the little one on her new Path.

The male Arbitrator that had followed them to the area came out of the building and approached the small body. He bent over it for a moment before standing up and backing away again. Vek'rin'ka saw the body language portray someone who was defeated. His head hung in shame, his shoulders slumped, he walked slowly back into the building.

Vek'rin'ka thought about moving back to the front of the home to see how Cass would take the news that her pup was dead but he could not take his eyes off of the little body lying on the ground. As he watched her, his chest constricted and he wondered if this is what it felt like to have a _z'shuy-de_ developing inside of you. He couldn't understand why he was having such a response to this death. It wasn't his spawn. It wasn't even yautja. But still, he could not help but feel regret about this pup's passing before her potential could be attained.

Vek'rin'ka remained silent, save for the low growl for several moments. A scream that could rival that of any produced by a _kainde amedha_ queen echoed from behind him. It was a sound so full of grief and pain and misery far beyond anything that was physically durable. Creeping back toward the front of the home he saw the female on the ground. The male referred to as "captain", who had followed them was holding her as she wailed again.

The decision was made right there. Vek'rin'ka vowed to himself that he would find the Bad Blood who had murdered the child. Even if he did not place the skull on his wall, there would be one less _ooman_ to harm an innocent. What he needed to do now was to get near enough to the scene so that he could pick up the scent signature of the Bad Blood. It was possible that the entrance would hold some residual scent. Burners kill from a distance, so approaching the guarded body would most likely be unnecessary.

Cautiously, Vek'rin'ka moved away from the back of the building to jump down on the side. Carefully he rounded the corner and snuck up to the doorway. Keeping a wary eye on the group of _oomans_ keeping vigil over the little female he slowly inhaled all the scents that saturated the area. There was the burner's smell and that of much blood. He could smell even more of the coppery substance inside the home, a testament to more than one victim. The scent of fear was tangible. If Vek'rin'ka had been on a hunt at that very moment he would have been intoxicated by it, but it only served to heighten his determination to catch this murder. There were the individual scents of many _oomans_ but one caught his immediate attention.

It was acrid, smelling of the objects that _oomans_ used to weaken their lungs. The artificial stench mingled with the aggressive, masculine scent that was natural to the owner. Vek'rin'ka knew he had smelled this _ooman_ before. The scent belonged to the male Bad Blood from the storage building several nights ago. The tension in Vek'rin'ka's chest increased again as he retreated back to his tree. He could not hunt the Bad Blood that had attacked the family. It was the reason he had not claimed the kill that night and was now the reason why the child that had so captured his attention was dead.

A war grew inside him. He had the power to stop this Bad Blood from killing another defenseless child. Unfortunately to do so would make him a Bad Blood himself. The two factions wrestled within his mind as he watched hidden. Gradually the _oomans_ started to leave and the tiny body and another were taken from the home. Vek'rin'ka watched silently as they were loaded into a dark vehicle and driven away. The female was apparently taken away while he was in the rear of the building searching for his own signs of the attacker.

Soon, all that were left were a bunch of _oomans_ in suits that covered them from head to toe and two guards. Vek'rin'ka was left to ponder what he could do about this Bad Blood. He had never hated his prey before, but this one, while not strictly HIS prey, caused such a stirring of rage in Vek'rin'ka he could not just sit by and do nothing. With nothing connecting him to this building anymore he left by way of the rooftops.

He found a high perch on a mutli-family residential tower where he stopped to think more. The travel had done little to clear his mind. Still the war raged as part of him wanted to run his blades through the Bad Blood and the other part remained staked firmly in the roots of the Honorable Hunt. As the clouds cleared from the bright full moon that had risen the solution came to Vek'rin'ka.

It was not strictly keeping with the concealment doctrine that had been drilled into him for all his life but it would satisfy both Vek'rin'ka and his honor. He would assist the female, Cass, in dealing with this Bad Blood. Surely, the only punishment for such crimes was death and he would be with her until it was done. The loss of her partner had shaken her badly, the loss of the little one she so obviously cared for, that could break her completely. Vek'rin'ka would not allow that to happen. He would not allow that coward to defeat such a unique warrior with such dishonorable actions. He only had to find her and make his proposal. Without her turning on him.

XXXXX

Two dark colored sedans circled the surrounding neighborhood as the crime scene was flooded with emergency personnel. Inside one of the cars Cach fiddled with the buttons on a small machine the size of a walkman.

"How is this thing supposed to work," ask the frustrated Cach as he flicked buttons while the machine remained inactive.

"Hit the button on the top left," one of the other occupants of the car told him. "That will turn it on. Then you have to stick the lead out of the window."

Cach did as he was told and the machine finally beeped its readiness. Cracking the tinted window he slid the small plastic lead outside. "So what exactly is this, anyway?"

"It's a mobile pheromone tracker. Right now it is programmed with the signature of the target. If it is here the display will let us now right away. No more lab work to see what we have. And we can forget about changing all those filters all the time.

"And Charlie there has a new infrared scanner."

Cach looked over at the man sitting in the front passenger seat. He didn't seem to be holding anything. Cass looked back at the man who had spoken before, question plain on his face.

"It's built into the glasses," the tech said as he smiled to himself for fooling Cach. "The camera displays the image on a film on the inside of the treated lenses. He," the tech indicated the mirror finish, "can see out, but no one can see the display from the other side."

"Okay then. I want Charlie out there," indicating the street in front of Cass's home. "Check out the house. Act like all the other rubberneckers. Then meet us by the park."

The car stopped around the corner of the block from the target house. "Check if the target is there. If it is following Hadley it'll be there. Once we know for sure that it's tracking her setting a trap for it will be easy enough." The man called Charlie got out of the car and it pulled away to continue scanning the area.

A short while later the sedan pulled to a stop in front of the park. From the shadow of a grove of trees a man emerged and quickly climbed into the waiting car.

"Anything," Cach demanded.

Charlie smiled broadly before answering, "Oh yeah. The target seems to like the tree on the west side of the house."

"So it was definitely there?"

"Not much else can put out that much heat and not be seen," Charlie quipped nonchalantly.

"Very good. Now we just need the bait. Too bad she is avoiding my calls."


	11. First Contact

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Eleven: First Contact

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count: **3328

Cass stared straight ahead as she followed Adams and another officer through the plush halls. The hotel that had been chosen was upper class and a suite had been reserved as Cass would be here indefinitely. Her home would be a crime scene for a while, and even after it was released it would be some time before she would be able to go back, if she ever did.

They reached the fifth floor room and Adams ushered Cass inside. The officer put down a duffle bag full of clothes and quickly retreated out of the suite. There were only sweats from the department in the bag but they would have to do for a while. With Cass's entire home as a crime scene they would not have been able to remove any of her clothes. Dress uniforms were uncomfortable to begin with, in the triple degree heat outside it was a miracle that Cass had not fallen victim to heat stroke by now.

Adams guided Cass to the bedroom past the sitting room. He sat her on the bed while he went over to the balcony sliding door and closed the blinds. While they were at the precinct getting clothes he had tried to talk to Cass. His queries were only met with a stony silence. Cass was almost catatonic since leaving the house. Adams tried again to get her to talk in the car on the way to the hotel. The only response was a weak plea to leave her alone.

After that Cass merely stared forward, not watching the streets pass, but merely looking out the windshield. Adams knew she was retreating into herself. It wasn't a good situation. She needed someone to talk to. Adams also knew that it would never be him. She would never trust him enough to talk to him.

Now Cass sat on the edge of the bed, clenching and unclenching her fists. Her breathing was hard, coming out in a suppressed hiss. Cass had prided herself on her strength, both physical and emotional. Adams knew she would never cry in front of him or anyone else he knew of. He could see also that she was working extremely hard to keep it all in.

"Cass, just take it easy. You need to rest. The last few days have been the worst anyone could imagine. Don't worry about the funeral. I can take care of the arrangements."

"Thank you." Cass's voice was tiny and frail, completely different from the confident, determined and stubborn-as-hell Cass that Adams was used to hearing.

"Is there anything else I can do?"

"No. Just," Cass paused to choke back another sob as she stared at the floor, "just leave me alone." It wasn't a demand, more like a plea. Adams loathed leaving her in her current state.

When Adams hesitated to leave Cass swallowed hard before looking at him and saying, "Go away!" She averted her eyes again as her voice cracked. "Please."

Adams understood. She needed this time to herself. She needed to organize her thoughts and start to deal with her grief. Having someone hovering over her would only stress her even more and stall her.

Adams nodded, "OK. I'm leaving two uniforms at the door. If you need anything else, just let them know. They'll tell me and I'll make sure you get it." Cass bobbed her head once to let him know she heard him.

Briefly, Adams paused to see if Cass would say anything else. When she didn't speak up he quietly left. He couldn't help her, but he would send RunningWolf over in the morning. Someone she had a purely professional relationship with would be more likely to help now.

The officer that had carried the duffle bag into the room was waiting outside the door. Two other officers had joined him, ready to take the first watch. Adams left instructions not to let anyone into the room without calling him first and to make sure the next shift knew that too. He waved the other cop to follow him and they walked to the elevator.

Inside the privacy that the transport provided Adams sighed, "She's not taking this very well."

The other cop, a desk sergeant at the precinct, was always the optimistic type. "She needs time. She is probably the most stubborn person I have ever met. She'll pull through even if it simply for the fact that she would never give Burns the satisfaction of knowing that he hurt her."

"You're probably right. She's used to taking care of herself. I guess part of that is my fault."

The sergeant looked at him critically, "You can't possibly think that."

"There's history Ed. I've known her since she was born. Walked the beat with her father. There's a lot of history there." Ed nodded understanding and said nothing more as the elevator came to a stop in the lobby.

Back in the bedroom Cass sat listening as Adams left. Once she was sure he was gone she got up. It was oppressively hot in the room and she needed air. The sliding door led to a small balcony and she opened it not intending to go outside. The breeze proved to be too inviting. Although it was obscenely hot outside as well, the breeze provided a measure of air movement that the room did not.

Cass stepped outside and walked the few steps to the rail. Over looking the cityscape Cass knew Burns was out there. He was free. He was alive, while Sonya and seven other innocent girls had died because of him.

A wave of rage rolled over her despondency. Burns shouldn't be allowed to be out there. He shouldn't be allowed to breathe. The district attorney would undoubtedly seek the death penalty in this capital case. Even with that, though, there was the chance that he would only be sentenced to life in prison. If he got death, the sentence would be appealed for years. In those years he would sit in prison, in protective custody no less, and be fed and given medical care. While the case was fought, while Burns still lived, Sonya would still be dead.

Cass's grip on the railing tightened as she looked down. Below her the hotel grounds teemed with life. Tourists were walking around enjoying their vacations, oblivious to the tortured woman looking down on them. Children ran between the throngs of people feeling perfectly safe. Their parents didn't realize the dangers present to their children.

A dull, aching pain began to form behind Cass's eyes. The pain grew sharper and more defined as she closed her eyes to the pain. Gradually the sharpness eased and in a few moments Cass tentatively opened her eyes again. That action proved to be a mistake.

Cass saw the ground rush up at her face as soon as her eyes opened. The edges of her vision were blurred and she could no longer make out the individuals. Just as she felt she would impact the concrete under her it suddenly pulled back and twisted as it fell away at a speed greater than it had risen with. Her knuckles were white with exertion as she held onto the rail. The ground dropped far below the five stories it actually was while continuing to spin.

As the ground began to rise again, faster than the first time, it appeared to tilt on its side. The imagined motion was too much for Cass's stomach as she suddenly felt nauseated. Trying to stay upright through the vertigo episode, she pushed herself away from the railing towards the sliding door. Turning with the motion she braced herself with her hand on the sliding door to prevent herself from walking right into it.

After Cass turned away from the ground the vertigo had lessened considerably, but the overpowering nausea remained. Quickly, she stumbled past the bed to the bathroom. With barely any time to spare Cass made it, finally collapsing over the toilet. Only seconds passed before she retched violently. Half digested food spewed from her mouth while she violently shuddered. What seemed like hours passed before she was able to stop throwing up and catch her breathe. Just as she thought she was finished, when she had purged everything she could, she doubled back over the toilet and threw up a mouthful of foamy, acidic bile.

The rancid taste in her mouth caused her to grimace, but she could not summon the energy to move. She knelt next to the toilet as she leaned heavily against it. Her breathe came in ragged breaths as her lungs worked harder to make up for the exertion. Gradually the nausea passed and her breathing slowed, although she still could not get her legs to move.

Cass stayed in the bathroom for several minutes. With effort she flushed the toilet to send the physical manifestation of her grief away. When the noise had died down Cass heard something else. It was a clicking, almost like castanets. Cass stiffened when she realized that the sound was coming from the doorway. As soon as she froze the clicking stopped only to be replaced by a bird-like trill.

Spinning on her heels, Cass instinctively reached for her hip holster. Her hand grappled in thin air for the weapon that was usually there. Before she finished her spin she realized with a shock that Adams had taken her gun. It was still in his trunk and she had not worn her backup piece.

Facing the door nothing could be seen, although the sudden movement on her part caused a resurgence of the vertigo and nausea. A shift in the light from the window curtain outlined a strange shape. As Cass focused on the doorway she could pick out more of it. It seemed like a heat distortion, but those wouldn't happen inside the room, no matter how poorly air conditioned it was. The transparent object shifted independently of the light. Another click followed and Cass's eyes widened with wonder and trepidation.

The invisible man that Kristen had talked about was real.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka found the female where the tracker said she would be. She and the male who was apparently her Leader had left the residence. When Vek'rin'ka had caught up to them they were at the _ooman_ Arbitrators' head quarters. They stayed there for a few minutes before coming out.

As Vek'rin'ka observed Cass and the male leave he was able to see how oddly Cass was behaving. From the scream that he had heard earlier he had thought she would be hysterical, panicky. The other response he thought of was similar to what one of his own race's females would be like. They would be looking for revenge, their maternal instincts being pushed to their limits. It would be an unwise yautja who got in such a female's way. Cass showed neither of these reactions. She looked utterly defeated, her gaze was blank. Vek'rin'ka noted how sluggishly she followed her Leader, in stark contrast to her confident, challenging attitude that he had observed previously.

The familiar pair was accompanied by one of the uniformed law keepers. All three _oomans_ got into the land transport before driving away. Vek'rin'ka was gradually left behind and soon had to rely solely on the remote tracker to follow Cass. The car headed away from both the female's home and the other residential areas. Vek'rin'ka finally arrived in an area of tall buildings with exterior platforms outside all the above ground doors. In one of these buildings, Vek'rin'ka's computer confirmed the trace. The signal was several levels above ground.

With the buildings so spaced out it was impossible for Vek'rin'ka to travel by rooftop. Skillfully, he used the plentiful vegetation around the huge buildings to navigate without exposing himself to open space too often. There was little vehicle traffic, but the _oomans_ on foot were plentiful. Avoiding them was tricky at times, but thrillingly challenging.

The building Cass was in was not the largest but it appeared well kept as far as _ooman_ buildings went. A quick infrared scan showed many of the rooms to be occupied but none of the balconies. Vek'rin'ka began his ascent climbing from projection to projection. Vertically the climb was no challenge, however, horizontally proved to have some problems. Stealth had necessitated that he begin his trek two columns of balconies away from the one leading to Cass's room. Jumping the span between the two balconies would not be the problem. Landing without striking the balcony above would be with Vek'rin'ka's height.

Taking critical stock of how to manage the jump Vek'rin'ka judged the distance between the top rail across from him and the bottom of the balcony above. There was no way he would be able to jump onto it without hitting his head. He took another look at the railing. It was tubular metal anchored into the poured rock that _oomans_ used in much of their construction. It would hold his weight.

Balancing on the rail, Vek'rin'ka prepared to jump. He tested the traction on the rail he perched on; assuring himself that the identical one would have the same grip. His muscular legs flexed and he thrust himself over the divide. His hands gripped the railing perfectly as his body slammed into the side of the balcony. The force of the hit caused him to snort as the air was forced from his lungs. He shook his head as he pulled himself over the rail.

The room on the other side of the door was empty though Vek'rin'ka could still detect the _ooman_ scent. A scan showed Cass to be alone in her room. He paused in his disbelief. Why in Paya's Hunting Grounds would anyone leave a female alone while she was grieving? Where were her mother and sisters? He watched her through the infrared image as she sat on the sleeping platform for several minutes. He was preparing for another leap when Cass emerged from the room.

Instantly freezing as Cass stood by the edge, Vek'rin'ka waited. Her hands held the railing in a death grip. Directing himself to look down at the scene that the female so intently stared he could see nothing of great interest. There were _oomans_ walking around and children playing. That was probably it. The pups she was watching were triggering her memories.

Vek'rin'ka didn't need her scent on the breeze to tell him how she was feeling. Her body was more than enough. Every muscle was tense, almost vibrating as they were held back from action. Her jaw was clenched but she didn't bare her teeth. Moisture collected at the corners of her eyes. It was not hard to see that she was torn between absolute sorrow and utter rage. Everything about her screamed for the release that she refused to allow.

When Cass started to sway, at one point tipping dangerously over the rail, Vek'rin'ka made ready to jump again. He was just about to spring the distance when Cass forcefully pushed herself away from the edge and spun around. She had to stop herself from hitting the glass door with her hand before continuing inside.

With the passageway left open, Vek'rin'ka spotted his chance to get close to her. He easily jumped the gap using the same technique as the first and scrambled up onto the terrace. He dropped over the railing and waited. His computer had impacted the vertical supports and had caused his shift suit to crackle as parts of it shorted out. Once the cloak had reinitialized and quit sparking Vek'rin'ka entered the room.

The room was a sleeping chamber containing a large sleeping platform but not much else. Vek'rin'ka had no interest in this room since Cass was not here, but he could hear noise coming from one of the adjacent rooms. He treaded his way silently to the doorway. The female's body was bent over the lavatory facility as she forcefully expelled her food. Her body spasmed uncontrollably with the effort. It almost seemed that the suppressed emotions had found at least one way to express themselves.

Vek'rin'ka saw Cass calming, her heart rate was slowing and he thought that he should allow her to see him. If he was going to help her, he would have to let her know he was there. He would also have to formally ask her permission to join her Hunt. He made a step toward her when suddenly her body convulsed again and her own stomach acid was coughed into the bowl. Vek'rin'ka again stilled, waiting for her to calm down again.

The female was exhausted. The way she leaned on the fixture, breathing hard was a testament to that. She stayed that way for several minutes while Vek'rin'ka studied her. He saw her reach for a lever on the fixture and with a loud slurp the foul smelling excreta was sucked away. The sudden noise had Vek'rin'ka clicking in surprise and he couldn't stop himself before the noise died away.

Vek'rin'ka noticed Cass tense when she heard him and knew he had passed the point of no return. He had to reveal himself now. He trilled at her to give her an approximate location to watch him. He was impressed with her speed as she swung around. He was doubly impressed when she attempted to reach for the place she usually wore her weapon. He made no attempt to evade her. She was unarmed, confirmed by the numerous scans that he had taken off her while she was sick.

Vek'rin'ka could see Cass searching for the source of the noise she had heard. She swayed slightly, but not as badly as she had while standing outside watching the younglings. Her courage while in such an emotionally confused state diminished any previous doubts that he had that she would not finish her hunt. She was still looking for the source of the noise, him, so he moved. Movement had given way the position of many a cloaked yautja to _oomans_ before.

Vek'rin'ka knew that she would see a light warp when he moved. He saw her eyes widen and knew that she had seen him. Now was the time for him to declare his presence.

XXXXX

Cach walked into the precinct with an air of belonging. He knew that Cass was being sequestered somewhere and the only one that would be able to tell him would be her boss, Captain Adams. He had his credentials pinned to his blazer which allowed him to walk right past all the security in the building and right into the squad room.

He walked past all the cops as they briefly glanced at him and went back to work. The tone of the room was subdued. Papers shuffled, the occasional phone rang but the normal chatter of the detectives was none existent.

Cach strode confidently past all of this, wearing an appropriately depressed face. Acting was one of his specialties and he would have to do a lot of it today. His destination was Adams office. It was obvious which room it was. The shades around the glassed in room were drawn, but the sign laminated to the door was still there. He knocked gently before a voice beckoned him in.

Knowing what information was important, Cach played around for a while. He portrayed the perfect worried boyfriend. He professed only to want to check on Cass, to help comfort her. In the end, he had the hotel and room number. Adams was even so accommodating as to call the guards at her door to let them know he would be by.

Now he only had to play his cards right with Cass. He was being rushed by his superiors. One of the XTs had disappeared completely and with the only one showing up on the scanners now following Cass she had become even more invaluable to their mission.


	12. Comfort in the Arms of a New Ally

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Twelve: Comfort in the Arms of a New Ally

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 5135

Cass stared at the invisible being crouched in the doorway. Her heart beat raced as she realized that it was blocking her only escape. This can not be real she reasoned with herself. There is no way you could make a person invisible. It was not possible. She gaped wide-mouthed as the form drew closer to her.

Cass had no weapons, no means to defend herself and no where to run. She had to admit to herself that she was scared beyond words. How did he get in here? The two cops at the door would not let anyone in. Had he killed them? Would he kill her too? Sure, he had saved Kristen, but what did he do to Burns to spook him that night?

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka watched the _ooman_ stare at him. His skin prickled at the scrutiny. The rudeness was almost more than he could stand. If she was another yautja, and his mission was a hunting trip instead of Bad Blood Hunt he would have challenged her right then. Tempering his rising aggression and struggling to suppress the growl forming deep in his chest he slowly moved closer.

In the close confines of the room Vek'rin'ka could hear the racing of Cass's heart without the amplification of the mask. The rapid double beat nearly echoed off the acoustic surroundings. Vek'rin'ka had expected such as reaction, but she was not calming at all and her eyes kept darting around the room. It took him a minute to realize his mistake. He had her cornered and she was defenseless. Her training as a warrior had taken over and she was looking for a way to escape or fight. Vek'rin'ka had an idea then. Males purred to agitated females to calm them. It just may work on the _ooman_ as well.

Starting with the throaty soothing Vek'rin'ka did not notice any appreciable decline in Cass's anxiety. She continued to cast her gaze about until Vek'rin'ka realized the problem remained. She was still trapped and still defenseless.

The remedy was obvious to Vek'rin'ka then. He needed to give her a way to escape if she wanted to. He stepped across the threshold and moved to the side. There was a clear path for the _ooman_ to run now but she still knelt beside the lav. The deafening heart beat slowed somewhat and Cass's eyes no longer searched the entire room frantically. Vek'rin'ka could tell she was still tense, but he expected that. After all, at no time in his Clan's history had any _ooman_ been this close to a Hunter without being hunted.

"You're Kristen's invisible man, aren't you?" The question was unexpected and Vek'rin'ka didn't understand some of the words, but he got enough of it to know her meaning. She was asking if he was the one the little female pups had been talking about. The question had interrupted his purr and he found himself absently clicking an affirmative. Cass just stared back at the spot he crouched. Vek'rin'ka shook his head and huffed when he caught on that she would not be able to understand him. The sudden abrupt noise startled the female and Vek'rin'ka saw her jump and press herself back against the wall.

Cass's persistent fear was beginning to annoy Vek'rin'ka. If she would just calm down and act rationally he would be able to properly ask her to grant him permission to help hunt her Bad Blood. She was an Arbitrator, she should start acting like one. She should meet him with no fear like a warrior, not flinch at every move and cower away.

Growling in irritation Vek'rin'ka's patience became strained. She would not stand and greet him, but she would challenge him with her eyes. Despite the cloak he spoke, "No stare. Rude." The English was barely understandable, but that is the language that the creature spoke in.

Cass's eyes went from being wide with fear to narrowing in annoyance. "So's trespassing," she hissed back at him. The rallying of her sarcasm was momentary, the result of the adrenaline rush from where he first announced himself. That moment of brashness disappeared almost as soon as it appeared, leaving Cass dreading what was going to happen next. The growling stopped abruptly and there was silence again. Then there came a clattering trill from the distorted space.

"Brave _ooman_," the creature said. "No stare again."

"Who are you anyway," Cass asked with more caution.

Once again purring, Vek'rin'ka turned so that his right side faced Cass. He also bowed his head before reaching to turn off the shift suit. His position was meant to be as non-threatening as possible. It was non-challenging and almost submissive. He could not initiate an attack on her if he was not facing her and his bowed head showed his submission to her as he requested to join the hunt for the _ooman_ Bad Blood. He would hunt Al'brk'vix at the same time, but he wanted to make sure this _ooman_ was dealt with properly.

The suit started to crackle as the power was cut to the netting around Vek'rin'ka's body. The blue sparking flashed through the lenses of his mask set as it was on the visible light spectrum. He turned his head slightly and watched Cass through his peripheral vision when he heard her gasp.

XXXXX

Cass could not believe her eyes. Crouching in the same room as her was…something. Whatever it was it had the familiar shape of a human, but definitely was not. It was huge. The scale was hard to judge but Cass guessed it to be over eight feet tall. It had two arms and two legs coming off a torso with a head crowned with what looked like slick, rubbery "hair." This feature gave off more of an impression of dreadlocks than free flowing hair. Each black lock was held or decorated with silver rings that were etched with a darker design.

The creature had a very defined muscular appearance that gave it a masculine look. Laid over top of that muscle was a skin that looked pebbled, not scales but not smooth skin either. His hide was dark green in color lightening towards the ventral points. Dark, brownish-black marks, like freckles, covered the green skin of the arm and leg visible to Cass before they too diminished at the same points as the green. All of the exposed skin was covered by black netting that clung to the skin allowing the creature to flex and relax his muscles without appearing to constrict tightly or hang loose at any point.

Cass could see crossing the thing's right arm above the elbow were three massive parallel jagged scars. The scars themselves were a bright limey green, contrasting with the dark green background. They disappeared under a massive metal shoulder guard.

Leather bracers inlayed with the same pewter colored metal adorned each forearm. The right one looked like a simple padded gauntlet. The left had some type of key pad attached to the top of it. Both shoulders were covered by heavy looking guards and were attached across the chest and back. The left shoulder, farther away from Cass, held something that distinctly reminded her of the barrel of a gun. A leather belt around the mid-section held several pouches and a scaled metal cloth in front of and behind the junction of the legs. Further down were shin guards similar to the wrist guards. Both were predominately some kind of leather product reinforced with the pewter colored metal. The top edges of the shin guards went well past the knees and were flexed back as whatever it was crouched near the bathtub.

Cass's attention was drawn to his face. The same metal covered his face, shielding his natural features. It managed to be ominous and powerful while still flowing in smooth but strong lines. Cass could only see half of it but could tell that the thing must have had eyes. The area that would correspond to the eyes on a human was actually one lense, an impassive black in color that did not reflect any light. There was a slight muzzle-like protrusion on the lower half of the mask. There was a mark that looked like it had been scratched into the mask's forehead that looked like a crescent moon that had been struck through on a slight diagonal. In addition, there was also some etching down the side of the mask, short interconnecting lines that did not mean anything to Cass. The whole mask was framed by the dreadlocks that fell around his head.

The creature moved slowly and extended its hand towards Cass. She was startled out of her awe as her gaze shifted from the creature's face to its taloned hand. Was it going to make a grab for her? Drag her off someplace? He was already giving her orders like he was her captain. She could feel herself loosing control again and she fought hard to keep it in front of the newly revealed creature. The fight was a lost cause. Her mind was getting fuzzy again and she could not will her arms or legs to move. She could only sit hope she did not embarrass herself too badly.

Her head began to spin in that all too familiar way. She could feel her stomach restarting its protest. The situation was beginning to overwhelm her mind and it was trying its hardest to compensate for the overload.

As a cop Cass had had much training in proper threat assessment. Despite her spinning head she began to quickly piece together a determination of this thing. Body language was the big indicator right now aside from what the creature had already said to her. While he was certainly demanding and he did seem to think he had some kind of superiority over her, she could not detect any underlying threat. Impatience yes, annoyance yes, but he did not seem intent on harming her. He was turned away from her. The gun looking device on the left shoulder was not pointed at her. That was always a good sign.

Was he really going to try to grab her though? Cass thought about that question for a moment before deciding cautiously no. If that had been his plan he could have done it while she was being sick and was completely unaware of him before he even said anything. Further, the hand he was extending was palm up and open. He was asking for something. Though Cass had deemed the creature not overtly hostile she remained on her guard. She did not know if she should be applying human behavioral patterns to him, but it was the only thing she had to fall back on.

The hard thinking caused Cass's head to turn faster and her sight to become blurred. She finally broke eye contact with the creature as she squeezed her own shut. It did not help squelch the sour feeling in her stomach or the pounding in her head.

A click from the creature brought Cass's attention back to it momentarily. She opened her eyes a slit to see he had moved closer. It was only by about six inches, but it was still closer. The hand was still extended but Cass still did not trust it. What could he want with her? He had turned his head fully to the side to look at her now and Cass could see the full mask now. She only had time to note the long, deep scratch mark over and under his left eye, before her eyes when wide again.

Cass turned abruptly away from the creature and leaned back over the toilet. Foamy, yellow bile once again forced its way out as Cass gripped the seat with what little strength she had left. When the bile had stopped coming Cass continued to dry heave. Her body continued its involuntary shaking as she tried to stop herself without success. She could only wait until her stomach calmed itself as she knelt in front of the bowl. It seemed to take forever before her head started to clear, though it still pounded at her temples, but it was relieved enough to notice a couple very important facts.

The first was that the creature had moved over and was squatting next to Cass. She could see his five toed foot complete with black talons next to her when she looked over the seat. She could even see the dewclaw farther back, closer to the ankle. The second was the large, heavy hand on her back. It could only be his but it was not doing anything. It was not trying to drag her anywhere, it was not using the vicious looking claws to mangle her. It was just sitting there.

The purring continued and Cass could feel it through the hand. It was strangely soothing. She finally looked up into the creature's face. There was no reflection in the lenses as he in turn watched her. What was he here for?

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka watched the _ooman_ study him. He hated being stared at like that, but he had to remain calm. He could not afford to make an enemy of her if he hoped to hunt the _ooman_ Bad Blood with her. She would never consent to his help if she was scared of him. In an attempt to convey his non-challenging intentions he extended his hand to her. It would be up to her to accept or reject him. Rejection would disappoint him as he was anxious to help deal with the Bad Blood. He would have to abide by her decision seeing as it was her hunt after all. Besides, how could she refuse him? Right now she was so weak she could not stop her own regurgitation. She had no hope of catching the _ooman_ Bad Blood without his help.

In turn, with the _ooman_ studying him, Vek'rin'ka studied her. She was over two _noks_ shorter than him and looked rather gaunt like most _oomans._ They were a physically weak species but they made up for it with their minds. This female did not possess the huge mammary glands that were present on many other females. The fur on her head was a dull black and bound in a knot behind her head, though some of it had worked its way out and hung down around her face.

Her face was small and flat. There was a small projection for the nostrils in the center of the visage, but everything else was fairly flat. No wonder many hunters referred to them as 'flat-heads.' Below the projection was a small mouth that had previously been disgorging her food. Now it hung slack with shock. Her eyes were set on either side of the projection's vertical ridge. As wide as they were now, Vek'rin'ka was able to see how distinctly blue they were. The color reminded him of a blue giant star near his home world.

The visual exchange lasted only moments before the female suddenly pulled herself back over the lav and again began to purge herself. Vek'rin'ka knew she was hurting, though not physically. The agony ate at her spirit, slowly consuming the will to fight, to live. Right at this moment she did not need her hunt, she needed her family. Vek'rin'ka was beginning to doubt, however, that she had any that would come to her.

Still, Vek'rin'ka grew increasingly agitated with the _oomans_ and their ways of dealing with death. First there was that horrid noise at the ceremonial burial, now this female could not even seek proper justice for her pup. She was taking too long with the grief part of her loss. Any yautja female would already be seeking her vengeance. Still, this was an _ooman_ so he would, grudgingly, have to make allowances. He would just have to be patient, as much as it annoyed him. All good hunts had challenges; this was just one of them.

Pondering how to help, Vek'rin'ka thought back to all the things that he had learned of the _ooman_. There was one thing that he had observed that seemed to give her comfort. That was the embrace with the pup.

Vek'rin'ka hesitated. He did not want to touch Cass, especially to fully embrace her. The taboo on physical contact was too deeply ingrained for him to be completely comfortable with the idea. Allowing another to get so close invited an attack. And _oomans_, even unarmed, were astonishingly tricky. Another point of fact was that, although a warrior, she was still of a prey species. To allow such contact with prey would leave him open to much ridicule and many challenges because of the perceived weakness. The challenges he would not mind, but no yautja enjoyed being laughed at. Still, there must have been something he could do.

Tentatively drawing closer to Cass as she was preoccupied leaning over the toilet Vek'rin'ka approached trying to think of what to do. He tilted his head to the side as he tried to think of a way to help. Cass's body was violently shuddering and was growing weaker. Vek'rin'ka softly placed his hand on the arched back feeling the tension instead of just seeing it for once. If this gesture did not help calm her it would at least help steady her and stop her from completely collapsing. She finally stopped her regurgitation after some time. She had given no indication of having noticed Vek'rin'ka.

It was then that Vek'rin'ka realized how truly vulnerable Cass was, how alone she was. Her grief was so all-consuming that she could not even keep track of something she viewed as a possible threat when she could see it. There would be not way she would be able to defend herself from one she could not identify.

When Cass turned her head to look at him again Vek'rin'ka gazed back. In her eyes he saw nothing. There was no flame of the warrior's spirit, no lust for revenge. The only things he saw in her face were hopelessness and helplessness. Her eyes were dead and dull.

Vek'rin'ka felt the hatred stir within him. He tried to quash the inappropriate emotion. He knew it was hatred for the prey, but he should not have felt it. It was pointless to hate prey. Prey was to be respected for the honor it bestowed on the hunter. The look in the _ooman's_ eyes, however, would not allow him to ignore the feeling. He hated what the Bad Blood did to the pup. He hated what the Bad Blood did to Cass. In truth, he had claimed two spirits that day, but only taking one life, leaving the other to suffer unbelievably. Maybe even a part of that stirring emotion was the lingering impatience with Cass. She was a warrior who should want revenge even more than himself, but here she sat, plainly showing her weakness to another warrior. It was pitiful.

XXXXX

Cass looked at the creature before her. Her mind registered the hand on her back. She knew she should try to get away from it. She just could not focus now though. There was just too much for her to deal with.

It took only a moment and Cass had decided that the creature was not a threat. Whatever he wanted, it was not to kill her. He could have done that by now. Her mind then shut down with a figurative sigh the part of itself that had been trying to deal with the creature. It turned inward on itself and began trying to deal with what her mind had been working on since the call from dispatch, grieving for Sonya.

The small bathroom had begun to feel cramped. Cass had no energy to move but she did not want to stay by the toilet all night. Slowly, she pushed herself up and stumbled to the sink. She washed her face and hands but did not feel any refreshed. The guilt of failing her sister and niece still weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Choking down the urge to collapse right there again she gripped the vanity noting how the creature had moved away. He was no longer touching her but he was still within arms' reach. Cass felt conflicting emotions in herself when she noticed that. She was relieved that he was no longer hovering over her, but a small part of her missed the contact. She was only reminded of how completely alone she was now.

Cass cast a side-long glance at the creature through the mirror. He was standing now and he towered over her. He would have to stoop just to make it through the door. She could also see that he had moved around her and now she was between him and the door.

Slowly, with a still pounding head, Cass tried to walk to the door. She used the counter to stabilize herself as long as she could. When she reached the end of the vanity she let go and took two shaky steps away.

With nothing to ground herself to Cass immediately lost her balance. She felt herself falling to the floor and prepared for the jolt. She never hit it as she felt two hands catch her arms and steady her on her feet. The gentle strength begged Cass to just let go, to give up holding in her anguish. She stubbornly refused as the creature helped her walk towards the bed.

Once there Cass collapsed on the ugly purple bedspread. She laid there with her feet hanging over the edge and quickly pulled a pillow to her face. Hiding her features she scrambled for more control. She was ashamed of herself for being seen so weak. What must that creature think of her?

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka saw Cass start to fall and quickly stepped up to grab her. She was undoubtedly being affected by the same thing that caused her instability on the balcony. Vek'rin'ka let her lead as she took slow, unsteady steps toward the raised bed.

It startled Vek'rin'ka when Cass suddenly simply fell on the bed. She did not bother to pull her legs up onto the platform but grabbed one of the head cushions and buried her face in it. He maneuvered her legs up so she would not harm her back having it twisted unnaturally. Vek'rin'ka could only wonder if the entire species reacted like this to death.

Moving back up to Cass's face, her new shyness perplexed him. Why would she hide her face when before she so openly stared at him? Was she embarrassed? Any warrior would be if seen like this, and any other warrior would be required to dispatch him. But she was not a warrior right now. She was a mother grieving for her pup. Such actions were to be completely expected. She should not be finding fault in that other than the amount of time she was taking wallowing in despair. She must have known that the longer she stayed like this meant that the Bad Blood had that much longer to get away and cover his trail.

With care, Vek'rin'ka rolled Cass over onto her side and gently pried away her shield. Her eyes met his briefly, letting him see the anger at his boldness but mostly the pain she was holding within her. For the briefest of moments she looked at him before her eyes darted away to stare at the blanket she was lying on. That slight glint of anger eased Vek'rin'ka's impatience though. Now he knew for sure that she was not completely giving up. She would recover, it was just a matter of time before the hunt would recommence.

Vek'rin'ka reached forward and turned her head to look at him. There was moisture collecting in the corners of her eyes that Vek'rin'ka took as a good sign. He had never witnessed anyone vomit as part of their grieving process, but he had seen many _oomans_ leak such moisture when in pain. Now she would just need the right encouragement and support, maybe even a little training. He placed his other hand over her heart pressing it in place and spoke.

"Hurt," Vek'rin'ka said in a gravelly and harsh voice. Speaking the _ooman_ word had scratched his throat though he had tried not to sound too intimidating. He believed that Cass had accepted him, but there was no telling how far she trusted him.

Cass raised her head in surprise and looked at him astonished. Because of his appearance she had assumed that he did not know English. While he had demonstrated that he knew some English she did not think he knew a lot of it. It did not even seem like he spoke naturally. She had in fact, started to believe that he was not from this planet.

"You…you speak English," she asked the creature. Vek'rin'ka could see the confused tension on her face and shook his head, sending a handful of his dreadlocks forward to hang in front of his shoulder. Instead he held up his hand and parted his thumb and index finger by an inch.

"A little," Cass said comprehending what the gesture meant. Vek'rin'ka nodded his head slightly as Cass asked another question.

"But you understand me?" Again Vek'rin'ka nodded an affirmative to the question. "Why are you here?"

Vek'rin'ka cocked his head to the side and put his hand on Cass's chest again.

"Hurt," he trilled at her. "Hurt much." He put his other hand on his own chest and said, "Help."

Cass's grief had numbed as she had been talking to the creature, overcome by astonishment once again. Tears threatened to spill no matter how hard she blinked them back as she bit her lip.

Vek'rin'ka fingered the keypad on his forearm and a pre-recorded voice played back, "Sonya."

Vek'rin'ka continued after the recording, "Help find Bad _Thwei_. Help fix justice."

Cass could not believe her ears. It was her voice calling to Sonya. Finally her resolve broke. The call for the small girl caused Cass to give in to the gnawing anguish that had been trying to consume her.

Tears fell in a cascade down Cass's face. She would have rolled over onto her stomach if the hand had not been there. As it was her face was turned to Vek'rin'ka and he could see it twisted with the painful emotions she could no longer hold back.

The cries were painful for Vek'rin'ka to listen to. It was not the volume or the proximity. It was something in his chest that contorted with each mulling. If he was not so sure that there were no _kainde amedha_ on the planet he would have believed he had been infected with the parasite.

"I failed," Cass choked out between wails. "I failed them. I didn't protect them."

Vek'rin'ka did not understand at first. It was at the last statement that what she said made some sense. She was blaming herself for the youngling's death. She felt responsible for it. Suddenly the constriction in his chest made sense. He had vowed to protect the family, but he too had failed the little one. He had been subconsciously blaming himself as well. Even though he had promised to protect the females from Al'brk'vix and another had killed the child it easily could have been the Bad Blood.

Vek'rin'ka did not know who else's death she could blame on herself, but he had confidence that after she had finished weeping and had rested that he could ask. It could not have been her other hunting partner's death. He was male and a warrior who hunted Bad Bloods. Reality was that death could have claimed him at any time, as it could her while she was hunting. The other death was just an _eta_, not something to get upset over. Vek'rin'ka was sure Cass could find another if she needed one.

Cass had turned her head and moved it off Vek'rin'ka's palm to bury it into the mattress after she spoke. Though her eyes were squeezed shut it did little to slow the fall of her tears that now soaked the bedspread. She pulled her legs up her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

Vek'rin'ka moved his hand out of the way of her legs and knelt on the itchy flooring. He knew she was retreating into herself, closing off exterior distractions while she dealt internally with her struggling spirit. He could smell the residual scents of many _oomans_ mating on the coverings. There was no way that he was going to leave Cass to bury her face in such filth.

Vek'rin'ka removed his plasma cannon from his left shoulder before moving himself onto the bed and easing Cass up. She either did not notice or care that she was being supported by Vek'rin'ka. He leaned against the wall and moved Cass against him with one hand behind her back. She continued to cry though Vek'rin'ka could feel that she was loosing strength and was succumbing to her exhaustion. Her tears left warm, wet trails down his chest. He moved his shoulder more so she would not hit her head on his armor plating. Once he was comfortable and was sure she was as well Vek'rin'ka began to purr again.

The response took a few minutes to notice, but Cass slowly stopped wailing. The cries slowed and turned to soft whimpering as she finally drifted off to sleep. Vek'rin'ka watched her as she slept on his chest. Even in her sleep he noticed that she did no stop crying completely until the sun started to rise again. Hiccupped sobs perforated her sleep continuously, occasionally waking her and starting a new round of crying.

Vek'rin'ka stayed with Cass through the night. He still did not understand why her family was not here to help her through her grief. Still, neither moved from their position, accepting what the other was giving. Vek'rin'ka held her now that he felt responsible for her. When she had not rejected him outright he had taken it as an acceptance of partnership. Allowing Cass to sleep and cry on him was a small measure of punishment for his own inability to protect the pup. He surmised that Cass was feeling a disproportionate share of that responsibility though.

Cass did not know why she had accepted the strange creature so readily. It may have been because she had no one else to turn to when he offered comfort. All she knew was that he was there when she needed him and she felt oddly safe in his arms. Maybe it was true what they say: It's easier to cry to a stranger sometimes.


	13. Licking His Wounds

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Thirteen: Licking His Wounds

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count: **2427

Al'brk'vix hid in the dank, cold tunnels for several days after his fight with Vek'rin'ka. He stewed over his wounds as he healed himself, the worst of which was his broken elbow. There was little he could do for it except set it and bind it. Setting the joint was excruciating and was almost impossible to do by himself.

With the elbow finally set Al'brk'vix set about binding his broken ribs. He had not carried the necessary bandages but the bedding that he had stolen from where it hung as it dried served well. The least serious of his injuries were the scratches on his arms. The first, where Vek'rin'ka had caught his arm with the _ki'cti-pa_ on the healers' building, were the deepest ones. He used his healing gels to close those. The resulting roar of pain echoed down the tunnels.

With every pain-filled roar as Al'brk'vix used the burning gel he promised to rip Vek'rin'ka apart. For every injury and humiliation that Al'brk'vix had suffered Vek'rin'ka would pay. After inspecting the shallow cuts where his self-destruct device was cut off he decided to leave those to heal naturally.

Perhaps the most aggravating wound was the one to Al'brk'vix's ego. He knew he was a great hunter, and now he was hiding from his prey with a useless arm, useless cannon, and few other weapons. Not only hiding, but in a stinking, sludge filled tunnel.

Once a cycle, under the cover of darkness, Al'brk'vix would go out for food. There was little available. _Oomans_ didn't seem to store any of their own food supply in the area and Al'brk'vix was hesitant to stray too far from his hiding place. He was forced to start hunting small game. There were plenty of small feral felines around, who seemed to thrive on the rodent population. Al'brk'vix refused to stoop to eating vermin but the felines proved to be satisfactory.

When the wounds were not as hindering Al'brk'vix started to range further from the nest he had made in the tunnels. Several times he attempted to get close to the _ooman_ female of Vek'rin'ka's, but the Arbitrator would always be near. He had no chance to observe the _ooman._ Without observing her behavior capturing her could prove difficult. He wanted to capture her alive. The plan he had to break Vek'rin'ka would depend on it.

Several nights had passed after the fight with Vek'rin'ka and Al'brk'vix again decided to try to get near the female's home. He would see if he could get close to her tonight, maybe grab her if he could. It was becoming apparent that he would never get time to properly observe her.

He approached the dwelling from an angle he had never used before. There was unusual activity at the home. It was surrounded by many _ooman_ Arbitrators and their vehicles. All of the _oomans_ were armed and tense. Al'brk'vix scanned for Vek'rin'ka but could not see him. From what he could tell the _ooman_ female was gone as well.

Suddenly, there was a blip on his mask display. Turning and focusing on it Al'brk'vix spotted Vek'rin'ka heading away from him. With a final, longing look at the tempting _ooman_ prey around Al'brk'vix started after the Arbitrator. He would lead Al'brk'vix to the _ooman_ female and as soon as the opportunity presented itself Al'brk'vix would grab her. He would enjoy every moment of sadistic fun he would have tormenting both of them.

No longer able to cloak, Al'brk'vix was forced to follow Vek'rin'ka at a greater distance than he would have preferred. Traveling on a diagonal to the warrior, he made sure to stay downwind and out of sight.

At one point Vek'rin'ka stopped and waited for the female as she went into a building with a male _ooman_. The respite allowed Al'brk'vix to regain his breath though his ribs continued to dully ache. The rest was short lived as the two original _oomans_ came out of the building trailed by another carrying a bag.

The _oomans_ left together with Vek'rin'ka following quickly. Ambushing Vek'rin'ka right now would have been so easy with his attention focused on the female. Al'brk'vix felt as if he himself was being tortured with the patience he was being forced to deal with. Killing Vek'rin'ka would be so thrilling using his weakness for the female though.

Al'brk'vix continued to trail Vek'rin'ka as they came to an area of tall buildings. With no cloak Al'brk'vix was forced to stop the chase. Instead he quickly climbed the tallest building he could get to. His perch afforded the perfect spot to observe Vek'rin'ka as he climbed his own building and entered it through one of the large open glass doors the female had retreated through.

Al'brk'vix zoomed in with his mask but could see nothing except for a raised bed. Both of the room's occupants remained out of sight for a long time and Al'brk'vix had almost been tempted to leave to find food. He had prepared to go over the edge when he finally spotted movement in the room he saw Vek'rin'ka all but carrying the _ooman_.

Disgusting, Al'brk'vix thought, being that close to prey and not killing it. He was even touching it. Al'brk'vix continued to spy on his two unsuspecting subjects. He gripped the edge of the roof tighter when he saw Vek'rin'ka remove his shoulder cannon. It would be so easy to kill both of them now, he thought, but it wouldn't be half as fun.

Contempt filled Al'brk'vix as he witnessed Vek'rin'ka move onto the bed and pull the female up to him. It sickened Al'brk'vix to see the warrior comforting the female for whatever reason like she was his mate. Any hunter that would display such behavior was no longer a warrior in Al'brk'vix's eyes. Females didn't need that kind of comfort. They were just _lou-dte kalei. _Their only use was producing sucklings. This female wasn't even worth that. She would only produce more prey.

The night wore on Al'brk'vix grew bored waiting for Vek'rin'ka to fall into slumber. The sun was rising when he finally gave up. It was apparent that the other yautja had no intention of sleeping this night. Staying here would be pointless and Al'brk'vix was finally feeling the effects of hunger.

Leaving the area of the tall, well-kept buildings Al'brk'vix found his way over to another part of the city. The area smelled of meat and blood, lots of it. The area was run down, waste was strewn everywhere. There were many vendors' shops along the vehicle path. All were centered around a long, low building with many doors. Al'brk'vix observed many _oomans_ passing in and out of these doors, often times the same female with different males. He ignored the _oomans_ for now, he could come back later and claim a few skulls. They didn't seem to be going anywhere.

From the alley Al'brk'vix was hiding in he could see a shop across the street with carcasses of small animals hanging in the window. Cautiously he peered around the corners of the buildings he was between, making sure there were no _oomans_ looking in his direction. When he felt it was safe enough he sprinted across the street. He didn't take into account that vehicles used the same path. The squealing of rubber on the ground and an irritated horn stopped Al'brk'vix on the sidewalk after the near miss. He turned and looked at the _ooman _in the dark colored vehicle gesturing wildly at him. In a show of disrespect Al'brk'vix turned his back on the _ooman_. He would find him later and see if he would be a worthy challenge.

Al'brk'vix rounded the building and found a doorway into the back of the meat shop. The door was flimsy and one kick was enough to rip it off its hinges and give Al'brk'vix access to the interior. Inside, the smells were tantalizing. There were many varieties of meat to choose from. A contented growl rose from his throat as he tried to decide which to take.

While Al'brk'vix was sorting through the meats a device near the front of the building started to ring persistently. Taking it as an alarm, Al'brk'vix quickly stashed several of the skinned carcasses that had been hanging near him in his mesh sack. He left the building to whoever would respond to the summons. Sticking to the shadows he found one of the metal frameworks that allowed _oomans_ access to the tops of their buildings.

Al'brk'vix painstakingly climbed up to the roof. His useless arm was bound against his chest making moving through the small cut out passages on each landing difficult. If that wasn't annoying enough, the mesh bag that held the pilfered food kept catching on projections from the framework.

Finally, as Al'brk'vix reached the end of his limited patience he reached the roof. He jumped a couple of passages away from the building he had entered and found himself across from the busy _ooman_ building he had seen before. He settled himself in the shadows to eat as he observed the oblivious_ oomans_ below.

Many females paraded up and down the path until approached by a male. Then the pair would retreat back into the building. With bemusement Al'brk'vix noted the vehicle that had been driven by the aggressive _ooman_. Perhaps he would enjoy a bit of fun after he was finished eating. No sooner had he had that thought than two other smaller vehicles sped up to and surrounded the dark vehicle. A trio of _oomans_ got out of each vehicle and quickly moved around the other vehicle to surround the door it was parked in front of.

One of the _oomans_ kicked the door in and the six _oomans_ rushed in holding their small burners in their hands while Al'brk'vix watched with interest. The _oomans_ weren't technically interfering in his hunt as he hadn't decided if he wanted to kill this _ooman_. The six _oomans_ soon re-emerged from the room dragging a seventh one. It was fighting and yelling strongly until it was hit over the head by one of the _oomans_. Al'brk'vix snorted in disgust. The _ooman_ must not have been that good a fighter.

XXXXX

In a black sedan, sitting on the street a man spoke into his radio, "We've located the target bunkered down in a whore house on Ocean." The team leader twitched with anticipation as he fingered the trigger on his pistol. "We're going in now."

The leader tapped the driver on the shoulder, telling him to initiate the retrieval. The driver, in response, flashed his high beams to the other car parked down the street facing him. Both cars pulled away from the curb and sped up to the motel. They each pulled in behind the black SUV, blocking any escape it may try to make.

As arranged the three passengers of each car jumped out and moved up to enter the room. The drivers waited patiently in the cars, ready to speed the teams away and scanning the police frequencies to make sure they had not drawn any attention. The two teams of three, with their guns drawn, knocked the door off its hinges. When the door had banged against the wall the target jumped away from his computer and turned to face the intruders.

With their guns and dark suits the target took them as federal agents. They had him at gun point but he wasn't about to give up yet. He dove over the double bed to the night stand, and the magnum lying on it. In the chaos and noise of the entry no one heard the near silent "pfft" as the air pistol discharged its dart from the team leader's gun.

The target jerked when he felt the prick of the needle. The bright yellow tag was stark in its contrast with the dark shirt covering its victim's shoulder. The six men didn't wait for the sedative to take effect before they rushed him. One grabbed each limb while the other two tackled his body.

The drugged man fought with every ounce of strength that he could summon. Still, the six proved to be more than a match for him. When the teams were sure of their hold on him they dragged him to his feet.

Half dragging, half carrying the struggling man, his escorts pulled him out the door. Seeing the two dark cars the man renewed his fight. His verbal protestations had not gone unnoticed by the area's inhabitants, but they did go unheeded.

When the group was beside the target's SUV the driver of the first car shouted out, "We've got cops incoming."

"Damn," was the reply but the team leader. "Get him in the car now." With that order, one of the men hit the target over the head with the butt of his gun. Instantly the man fell limp and the six team members hoisted him up and shoved him into the backseat of the closest waiting car.

As the teams split up and got into their own cars Team One's leader asked the driver, "Were we spotted?"

"No sir," the driver responded as he shifted the car into drive and calmly left the motel. "There was a call for a silent alarm. One of the shops a block down was apparently entered. The alarm company called the cops when no one answered their call."

"What shop was it," the leader asked.

"Donald's Meats," the driver told him with a knowing smirk on his face.

"Damn it," the leader swore as he searched out the windows. "One of them is close. Probably watching us now."

"Nothing we can do but set the trap," one of the other team members said as he pushed the unconscious man's head off his shoulder. "At least we have the bait for the bait."

"Oh yes. Burns will be the perfect bait for Hadley," the leader smugly said. "We'll have what we came for soon enough."

"Hey Cach," the man in the front seat said, drawing Cach's attention. "What are we going to do with this one?"

Cach looked at Burns and smirked. Maliciousness glinted in his eyes as he thought about Burns' future. "We are going to make him a deal he can't refuse."

_**Author's Note:**__ Sorry about the short chapter. I just had to let ya'll know what the bad guys were up to, so in essence this is one of those filler chapters._

_As always, I adore reviews and appreciate every single one of them._


	14. Identities Revealed

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter:** Fourteen: Identities Revealed

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 4143

Special Agent Joeseph RunningWolf walked down the overdone hallway. Under his arm he carried a manila envelope of very sensitive information. It was not sensitive in the sense that it was classified. In truth, it was available on-line to anyone who knew how to look for it. This packet of information was sensitive because of how its recipient would likely react to it.

RunningWolf's thoughts were devoted to that reaction as he approached the two officers who guarded the door. They looked exhausted after having spent the night guarding one of their own.

"Morning," RunningWolf said to them as he handed over two steaming cups of coffee. The two young officers gratefully took the proffered wake-up-in-a-cup after eyeing the FBI credentials hanging from RunningWolf's blazer pocket. "Is she up for visitors?"

The two men looked at each other before turning back to the agent. The red-haired cop elected to speak first.

"We don't know, sir."

The other added, "We heard her crying through most of the night. It tapered off around dawn."

RunningWolf nodded sagely, "Good. She needed that. Listen, I just want to check on her."

"That's alright, sir. Captain Adams said you would be by," said red-head.

"Thanks," RunningWolf said as he knocked on the door loudly. "Detective Hadley," he started. "Cass, its Joe RunningWolf. Can we talk?"

XXXXX

Cass shifted slightly as she slept. Vek'rin'ka could see how tormented she looked even as she lay on his chest. The crying and tears had stopped around the time sun rose, but she still whimpered occasionally and shivered. Vek'rin'ka knew there were two _oomans _guarding the door. They had remained there all night but had never entered the room. Even so, Vek'rin'ka remained cautious, making sure that the window stayed open in case he needed a quick escape.

While Cass slept Vek'rin'ka watched her. She was so slight that he wondered how she could possibly fight the Bad Bloods she hunted. Up close she looked too small and delicate which was something that he hadn't really noticed before. When he had been observing her for the past few days she had seemed so strong, so alive. Now that life was gone and she just felt so broken. There was so little left in her he could barely feel her weight on him.

Down the main corridor, Vek'rin'ka heard a door open and a new _ooman_ start down towards the doorway. The three _oomans_ now occupying the hallway stood at the door to Cass's set of room talking briefly. After the conversation the new _ooman_, recognized by his new voice, began knocking on the door calling for Cass.

Cass didn't make any motion to acknowledge the summons and Vek'rin'ka could understand why. She had not slept restfully at all that night and she was undoubtedly exhausted. He loathed disturbing her now, but the other _ooman_ may come in unbidden regardless. Being found, probably by another _ooman_ Arbitrator would be a disaster. He didn't need to be exposed to anymore _oomans_ than he already was. The only thing worse than one wily _ooman_ on your heels was a pack of them, and that would surely interfere with the hunt that must be attended to.

Nudging Cass carefully until her eyes opened Vek'rin'ka pulled his arm out from around her. He eased her down to the pillow as she watched him. Cass's mind was muddled with sleep. She felt completely worn out as she woke up. The events of the previous night seemed like a horrible dream. She expected that at any moment Sonya would come running through her bedroom door and she would be able to forget all about the nightmare. Sonya had not been killed by Burns and she had never seen an alien in the bathroom of a hotel room.

Her eyes focused on a large body in front of her and she felt a hand supporting her as she was lowered to the bed. But this wasn't her bed. Seeing him, feeling him brought reality crashing back on her. Fresh tears welled within her eyes and as they rolled down her red cheeks the creature wiped them away. He stepped away then and Cass heard the knocking on the door for the first time. Vek'rin'ka activated his shift suit and Cass saw him disappear in a flickering of blue sparks. She could see his watery form head towards the balcony.

Turning her attention back to the door she exited the bedroom and crossed the sitting room. Someone was calling her from the other side of the door. They must have been from the department otherwise the two guards would have shooed them away. Reaching the door she looked through the eye hole. Standing there waiting patiently was Joeseph RunningWolf. Breathing a sigh of relief that it was not Adams or even one of the departmental psychologists, she turned back to check the room, half believing that the creature might have changed his mind and followed her. Finding herself alone she turned back to the door and twisting the knob opened it to the emotionally neutral face of her co-worker.

"Hi Joe," Cass calmly said. She suspected what he was here for but she asked anyway. "Is this visit business or pleasure?"

RunningWolf shifted uneasily as he took his gaze from Cass to the envelope under his arm. Stalling for time, he offered her one of the remaining cups of coffee. Cass readily took the coffee from the holder and nodded thanks to RunningWolf as he took the last.

"It's a bit of both," RunningWolf confessed finally. "I wanted to check on you." The sincerity in his voice enticed Cass to lower her guard and the hot, black coffee help to clear the last of the sleep from her mind. After the first mouthful she was able to better focus on her guest.

"I'm…" Cass started. She couldn't say she was fine. She wasn't after all. She had to think for a few moments before continuing, "Dealing."

The short answer didn't seem to appease the agent who undoubtedly read more into the pause than he was letting on. "Just dealing?"

"I'm working through it. What is it that they say: Focus on the good. I just need to be alone for a while, to think." Cass turned away from him as she moved across the room to stand by the wide picture window.

RunningWolf nodded sagely. Cass was reputed to be an incredible interviewer with children, easily establishing an emotional rapport with them, but she wasn't the type of person who talked about her own feelings easily. Her personality would demand that she process a lot of her tragedy alone. Fighting it would only cause problems.

"That's good, that you are thinking that way," RunningWolf said. "You have my condolences. The pictures of Sonya I've seen, she looked like such a happy child." RunningWolf stopped when he saw Cass freeze. It then dawned on him that he had referred to Sonya in the past tense and Cass was not ready for that. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

Cass looked down through the window in front of her. The same scene played before her as the night before. Children were running around without a care in the world. Their parents content to finally be relaxing. "It's okay. She's gone." She lifted her hand up to wipe away the tears from her eyes and she hung her head. Taking a large breathe to regain her composure she looked over her shoulder at RunningWolf. "So, what's in the folder?"

RunningWolf was thrown a little by the sudden change of topic but he pulled the folder out from under his arm anyway. He sighed deeply to himself. This was not the best time to give Cass this, but she had to know to protect herself, more now than ever.

"Gerold asked me to get this together for him," RunningWolf paused as he looked from the folder to Cass. She was still standing by the window over looking the hotel's beautiful garden, but she no longer looking out it. Her back was to window that shed bright morning light into the room as she stared intently at him. RunningWolf continued from where he stood in the middle of the room, "He didn't trust this guy you are seeing. He asked me about an Agent Cach. I'm sorry Cass, but I didn't find anything in the bureau personnel files."

RunningWolf paused there waiting to see how Cass would react. Her expression started at confused then it darkened. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke quietly, "He lied to me."

RunningWolf only nodded, "He's not an agent. At least for the FBI. We have a couple of files on him." Cass walked slowly over to RunningWolf, raising her hand to point at the folder.

"That's it? That's about him?"

"Yes," RunningWolf said as he handed it to her. Cass took it and stared at it. Sensing her hesitation RunningWolf offered, "Would you like me to stay and look at it with you."

"No," Cass finally said shaking her head. "No. I want to be alone to read this." RunningWolf felt her hand behind her arm as she subtly pushed him towards the door. "Thanks for coming Joe, but…"

"You want to be alone," RunningWolf finished for her. Cass nodded as she pulled the door back open. "OK. I don't think you should be alone, but I guess there is no way to change your mind." Cass continued to steadily force him out the door, knowing that she really would not be alone. Joe turned around after he was back in the hallway and handed Cass a small card. "Here's my private cell number. If you want to talk just call."

"Thanks," Cass said to him at a loss for anything else to say to him. She wanted him gone so that she could look at that file. Once he was out of the room she quickly closed the door and turned to lean back against it. She pulled the folder up to eye level feeling slight trepidation.

Finally she walked over to the couch that sat behind a low coffee table. Sitting there she spread the contents of the folder out on the table. There were many pages from science industry journals, some newspaper clippings about some big corporation, and a page with that corporation's letterhead. All these things were in addition to various files and photographs stamped with the official FBI seal.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka waited on the balcony for the male _ooman_ to leave. The conversation the two were having was very quiet and Vek'rin'ka had to adjust his audio amplifier to its maximum setting. He still did not manage to pick up anything useful.

When the male left Vek'rin'ka went back into the room expecting to see Cass return to the bedroom. When she did not, he walked into the front room to find her sitting on a cushioned bench. Set on a low table in front of her were parchments with _ooman_ writing on them.

Vek'rin'ka shut down his cloak but Cass made no move to acknowledge him. He was slightly annoyed with the lack of respect so he placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a shake in the traditional greeting.

Cass looked at him briefly before she turned back to the documents in front of her. Vek'rin'ka saw the look in her eyes that spoke of anger and betrayal. He could then smell the aggression she was giving off. Whatever he had missed in the conversation or what was contained in those documents had profoundly agitated her. Vek'rin'ka was about to inquire if this had anything to do with the pup's, Sonya's, death when both he and Cass hear the commotion in the hallway.

XXXXX

After RunningWolf had visited Cass he rode the elevator down to the lobby. As the doors opened RunningWolf attempted to disembark but was pushed to the side as the mysterious Scott Cach ignored proper elevator etiquette and boarded the elevator. RunningWolf quickly stepped off the lift as the doors closed before turning to look back. Cach was impatiently standing in the car looking at his watch. The fake agent did not make eye contact with RunningWolf as the door shuddered to a close.

RunningWolf contemplated pursuing Cach but decided against it. The two uniforms would turn him away, but if he got through and saw Cass… Well, RunningWolf thought to himself, I would not want to be him.

XXXXX

The elevator doors opened on the fifth floor to reveal two uniformed cops each finishing off a coffee. Cach put on his best worried boyfriend look and hurried towards them.

"Morning officers," Cach said in a coyly nervous voice. "This is the right room for Cass Hadley right?" Cach performed his best acting job worried and disoriented for the cops.

The two cops set their empty cups on the floor and eyed Cach suspiciously.

"Can we see some ID, sir," the first cop asked.

"ID? What? Listen, I'm Scott Cach. I'm her boyfriend. I need to see her," Cach declared as he tried to push his way past the two officers. Both cops tried to push him back as he tried to grab the door knob.

"Cass, honey, it's me. Please tell them to let me in," Cach shouted through the door. He managed to spin around one of the cops and grabbed the door knob. Before either of the cops could pull him away he flung the door open and stepped into the room.

Cass was standing in the middle of the front room holding a folder in front of her. She stared straight at Cach with an expression that was unreadable. Confident that Cass would accept him readily and come "home" with him he walked straight up to Cass.

"Cassie, sweetie. I just heard and came right over," Cach said with feinted sympathy. He held his arms out to her as he drew near. Instead of enveloping his "girlfriend" in a supportive hug he felt a sharp pain across his face. The crack reverberated loudly through the room as everyone stopped moving. Cach looked at Cass in shock and the two cops that had just entered froze.

Cass, for her part, had squared herself with her free hand clenched in a tight, shaking fist, ready to strike again.

"Who the hell are you," Cass hissed through grit teeth. Cach rubbed the reddening hand print on his cheek as he stared back at her. He did not know what to tell her or how much she already knew.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU," Cass screamed when Cach didn't answer. This time though, she threw the folder at him. Pages and photos flew out of it as it hit Cach in the chest, after which the contents fluttered to the floor. One page caught Cach's eye immediately. The bold "W" on the Weyland letterhead told him that Cass indeed knew too much.

Cach looked back up at Cass masking his true intentions behind a façade of guilt and contriteness.

"Cass," Cach started slowly. "I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just the company I work for likes to keep its dealings hush hush."

"Is Scott even your real name," Cass yelled at him, not believing for a second anything he said. She could never trust him after reading those files. "Why impersonate a federal agent anyway?" Cass was on a roll and she was not about to let up anytime soon.

Cach opened his mouth to reply but Cass cut him off, "You know what? I don't even care. Just get out and stay the hell away from me and my…" Cass caught herself. "Just stay the hell away from me!"

Cass turned away from Cach and walked over to the table. Both of her hands were clenched into fists and shook with pent up rage. How could she have been so stupid? Gerold knew there was something off with the guy, why had she not picked up on it?

Cach walked up behind Cass and put his hand on her shoulder intending to spin her around. He was livid that Cass thought she could turn her back on him. It was becoming apparent that Burns would be even more important in springing the trap that had been set. Cass would definitely not trust him now. He would have to rely exclusively on his plan with Burns.

"Cass, it was to…" Cach started, continuing his charade. He had intended to tell her it was for her own protection.

Cass could not believe he had the nerve to pursue her after she had ordered him out of her room. She reached out and grabbed the only thing in reach. As Cach spun her around, Cass unleashed the half-full coffee cup. It splattered his face and suit. Cach hollered in pain as the hot coffee made its way into his eyes.

"You bitch. You'll pay for that."

"You really think that is wise," Cass said calm and collected once more. Her icy blue eyes steeled over as she threatened Cach. "I have enough dirt on you to make your life a legal nightmare." She turned to the two stunned cops and growled, "Get him out of my sight."

The two cops had been watching the situation unfold went into action. Each grabbed Cach by his collar and an arm. Cach was so stunned by the burning coffee that the cops had him out of the suite before he realized what was happening. He started to fight the cops to get back in the room.

Cass had followed the trio to the door and as Cach fought his way up to the threshold she flung the door closed, slamming it solidly in his face. Cach was outraged at the audacity that Cass had. The click of the dead bolt ended the struggle. The cops relaxed their grip on him and he wrenched himself free. They took up their position at the door again and watched him closely. Both had smug looks on their faces when one finally pointed down the hall at the elevator.

"Get lost, and don't come back," the pointer's partner said.

Cach looked down at the hall, noting the residents of neighboring units that had come out of their doors to see the cause of the commotion. He turned back towards the two cops, considering forcing his way in again. The stern faces dissuaded him from considering that further. With a forced sigh he turned toward the elevator. He walked past the staring guests with his head down, more to hide the smirk on his face than out of embarrassment. His little visit, while not going as he had planned, had provided new information to build his plans around. When he got back to the office he would have even more hopefully.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka waited for the new _ooman_ to leave again. This time he stayed in the bedroom. He knew the scent of that _ooman_ and he would not go too far. The _ooman_ male forced his way in and started to talk with Cass, or at least he tried. Vek'rin'ka watched around the doorway making sure not to move as he saw Cass strike the male.

Vek'rin'ka knew Cass had been angry before while reading the delivered documents and now he had apparently found the cause. Cass had taken an aggressive stance and was now yelling at the male, throwing her packet of pages at him. The male continued to try to appease Cass, but Vek'rin'ka could see it would be no use. Once a female started in on a male he just had to take his beating or retreat.

The male continued to try to soothe the irate Cass, advancing on her as she retreated after dismissing him. The action escalated when the male grabbed Cass. Vek'rin'ka steeled himself from interfering. As much as he wanted to rip the _ooman _apart before, now that urge had doubled seeing the _ooman _act so disrespectfully towards Cass. The male never had the chance to do what he intended when Cass thrust a container of hot liquid in his face. That is when the guards decided to do something and grabbed the male and finally dragged him out.

Cass violently closed the door in the male's face before Vek'rin'ka came out of the sleeping chamber. He saw her leaning against the door with her eyes closed and her hands fisted. Her breathing was erratic as she tried to calm herself. Vek'rin'ka now knew that a warrior's spirit still resided within her. She would now be able to continue her hunt for the Bad Blood and he would be at her side.

Cass stayed by the door as she tried to control her breathing. How could she have been so blind? It was so obvious now. Cach had acted the part so well that Cass had never suspected that he was anything other than what he claimed to be. But what federal agent wore Armani suits and drove a BMW? If she had bothered to pay attention to the details she would have seen that he sure didn't look the part, she chastised herself mentally. In truth, she had been so blinded by his unconditional acceptance of Sonya that she hadn't even questioned what she should have. Was that acceptance all an act too? Did he use Sonya to get to her?

Vek'rin'ka trilled at Cass to get her attention as he turned his cloak off. She opened her eyes to look at him and he could see the anger had been replaced by the emptiness that had consumed them before. He trilled again at her, a higher pitch than before and tilted his head to the side. Cass broke the eye contact with him and walked back over to the window, stepping on the papers strewn over the floor. She looked down at the families again, all those people with their loved ones enjoying their time together.

Sighing loudly Cass looked over her shoulder at the strange shadow she had picked up. "I'm alone now," she said quietly. Immediately she looked away from him and stared at the carpet.

"Family," Vek'rin'ka's voice rattled out.

Cass shook her head, "I don't have any. Sonya was the last. Never had many friends, now I find out my boyfriend isn't who he said he was." Her voice was on the edge of breaking as she felt for the first time that there was no one there for her.

Vek'rin'ka began to understand the depth of her misery, thought it was hard to comprehend. It was unheard of for a yautja to be without family somewhere. How much death had she seen to have no family left? Even with their small family units, _oomans_ still at least had a mother and father. Many mating pairs had multiple offspring; did she not have any siblings? Vek'rin'ka remembered the doubt in Cass's maternal connection to the pup, Sonya. The results of the DNA test would be ready back on the ship. He wasn't going to leave her now to find out, but he wondered if maybe the youngling was the offspring of one of Cass's siblings.

"I always thought I wanted to be alone," Cass continued quietly. "Then Sonya moved in and all I could think of was her and how to make her happy. She came out of her grief so fast and was so happy, because she wasn't alone. She had me and I had her and we healed each other." Cass stopped to collect herself. "When she was happy she was my life, she made me want a child of my own. Now she's gone, and the only guy who showed any interest in me and who didn't seem like a freak betrayed me. I have nothing left."

Vek'rin'ka quietly waited as Cass talked. He couldn't tell if she was addressing him or if she was talking to herself. It didn't matter, since he could easily hear her anyway. When she said she had nothing left Vek'rin'ka snorted. That caused Cass to turn around to look at him. She saw him shaking his head, sending his dreads dancing around his shoulders. Vek'rin'ka walked up to Cass and placed his hand on her chest.

"Not alone," he said. "Never alone. Friend."

"Thank you," Cass said as she placed her hand over his. "I think I need a friend."

Vek'rin'ka bowed slightly as Cass accepted him. Today he would let her rest, and then he would make sure that she got back to her hunt. The revenge she would get would help her immensely. She could fully heal after that. Then she could find the mate and have the children that she wanted. He would see to it that she was no longer alone anymore.


	15. After the Fall

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Fifteen: After The Fall

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 5687

Vek'rin'ka stayed close to Cass the next day. He had paused his own hunt for Al'brk'vix, something absolutely unheard of. He didn't speak much, letting Cass do most of the talking past introductions. He had already known her name, though he didn't tell her that. She had some trouble saying his name. The growl that accompanied the middle syllable of his name could not be produced by her throat. The short bark of the first syllable was easier for her and finally he allowed her to use that shortened form.

Sonya was what Cass talked of most of the time. Vek'rin'ka listened as Cass talked of the happy times that she had spent with the child and he began to understand the depth of her bond to the little one. He also learned exactly what her relationship was with the pup. She was something called an aunt. It meant that the pup's mother was her sister. The revelation meant that Vek'rin'ka would not have to go back to his ship to find out the results of the blood tests.

Cass talked often of her sister as well. She had been older than Cass and had perished along with her mate in a vehicle collision. The deaths left only Cass to care for Sonya, who had luckily not been with her parents at the time. The female Vek'rin'ka had assumed was an _aseigan_ had moved in to help take care of the pup because of the unpredictability of Cass's occupation. She had been a friend of Cass's and needed a place to stay while she furthered her education. So in exchange for watching the youngling she was provided a place to live.

Cass mentioned her father once, only saying that he had been an Arbitrator like herself. She never spoke of her mother which struck Vek'rin'ka as odd. Offspring usually had very close bonds with their mothers in most species. His own mother and him were very close. Sometimes it was disturbing how much his mother knew about him that he did not tell her. Cass acted like she did not have one, though he knew _oomans_ were birthed from females.

The day after the confrontation with the male _ooman_ Vek'rin'ka had approached the subject of the child killer, the bad blood. Cass had almost broken down again when he had brought that up, but she contained herself and listened to Vek'rin'ka when he asked his question.

"When go hunt Bad _Thwei_," Vek'rin'ka had inquired bluntly as she came out of the shower. Cass was caught off guard as Vek'rin'ka had not entered the bathroom since the first contact and now she was naked.

"What," Cass nearly screeched as she grabbed a towel quickly to wrap around herself. Cass noted that the alien did not seem the least bit perturbed by her nudity, but she did not share his lack of modesty. Besides, she swore she had locked the door.

"When go hunt Bad _Thwei,_" Vek'rin'ka repeated, trying to sound out the _ooman_ words more clearly. "Child killer." Cass started to tear up again and Vek'rin'ka knew he had said the wrong thing.

"I can't," she said as she slipped past him to get to her clothes bag. Vek'rin'ka stared after her dumbfounded. His inquisitive trill told Cass as much even though her back was turned. "It's not my case anymore," she added angrily as she pulled clothes out of the duffel bag. "I'm not allowed to work it."

Vek'rin'ka was confused. Cass of all people should be the one leading this hunt. She was the one who had previous claim to the Bad Blood, and it was she who had suffered the personal loss to him. To have some one else take over now did not make any sense. The new hunter would have to spend time learning about his prey and that would only allow the Bad Blood more time to hide or run or even to commit more crimes.

Vek'rin'ka knew he would have to deal with the differences between his and the _oomans'_ idea of justice. He also knew that he had to learn of this Bad Blood's crimes as well. In a very forward manner he asked Cass, "Why hunt Bad _Thwei_?"

Cass had been trying to quickly pull on a fresh pair of shorts and a T-shirt. When she heard the question she didn't really understand it. She didn't know if the alien, Vek, was asking why she became a cop or why she was working on Burns' case. There were a few thing she had thankfully worked out. The _bad thwei_ he said meant something like criminals, the bad guys. When he tilted his head to the side he was asking why. The sounds he made in conjunction with it indicated his mood.

"Why all of them or why this one," Cass asked as she dropped the towel to reveal herself more or less fully clothed.

"This one, Sonya killer," Vek'rin'ka said. His voice remained the same scratchy noise as when he first spoke to Cass. He knew that he would soon need a way to allow Cass to understand his natural language if he was going to preserve his voice. A translator might work. They were used between Clans who spoke different dialects. It was possible that one could be programmed with the _oomans'_ speech. It was an option he would explore next time he was on the ship.

"Burns," Cass started. "He killed children. Seven that we know of, besides Sonya. And he kidnapped another." Vek'rin'ka nodded, remembering the little one who embraced him. "He did other things to them too." Vek'rin'ka lifted brow and clicked asking what. "He abused them, sexually. He forced them to perform sex acts with him."

A sharp bark exploded from Vek'rin'ka that surely caught the attention of the guards outside. However, if they had heard it they made no attempt to find out what the noise was.

Vek'rin'ka calmed his voice to where it would not be heard outside the room as he demanded, "What _ooman_ punishment?"

"It depends," Cass said sinking down to the bed. "If he's convicted he would get life imprisonment or the prosecutor could ask for the death penalty."

"If guilty," Vek'rin'ka cocked his head to the side. "There is doubt?"

"In the eyes of the justice system he is innocent until the prosecutor proves to a group of twelve impartial people that he is guilty. If those people doubt any of what the prosecutor tries to prove then they will find that he is not guilty and release him."

"Pauk-de stoopid," huffed Vek'rin'ka growling.

Cass stared at the bed spread and sighed, "Sometimes."

Vek'rin'ka walked over to Cass and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Bad _Thwei_ guilty," confidence radiated through his touch. "Need punishment. It kill Sonya." Cass looked at him, warning him away from dangerous territory.

"How do you know for sure," Cass asked trying hard to control her voice and not start crying again.

"Smell him at home," Vek'rin'ka stated kneeling down in front of her. "What punishment you want?"

Cass looked straight at him. There was a coldness in her eyes that sparked to life as she spoke again, "I want him dead."

"Then hunt. Kill. Have justice."

"That's not the way the system works," Cass choked out as she shook her head.

"System not work," bluntly came the reply.

"I know that," Cass growled as she fisted the blanket. "But I can't do anything about it. If I kill him, I'll be punished just like him. I've lost almost everything, I can't lose my job. It's all I have left."

The weak barrier that had been guarding Cass's emotions broke again and the tears ran freely down her face. Vek'rin'ka knew that he had pushed the issue too far. She wanted the child killer dead, but she was bound by the stupid _ooman_ justice system. He could not go out and kill Burns for her, though he was sorely tempted, since he was bound by the yautja honor code. They would have to figure out a way to kill the Bad Blood without placing Cass's rank in jeopardy.

Still, Cass's emotional ups and downs, along with the inability to find a suitable solution to the Bad Blood's fate, were taking their toll on Vek'rin'ka's patience again. He knew she had wanted Burns dead, he could not figure out until now why Cass resisted so much. She feared reprisal from her system of justice for killing a Bad Blood. If that was indeed the case, then _ooman_ justice was exceptionally stupid. Vek'rin'ka needed to get out of the room to think. The time alone would allow him to come up with a plan. So far trying to find a solution had only been met with stubbornness from Cass's refusal to let go of her idea of justice.

With Cass crying again Vek'rin'ka knew there was nothing that he could do. As on the first night, he knew she would cry herself to sleep and it would be pointless to stay in the room. He made up his mind to go out. If he were to at least find where the Bad Blood was hiding, they would at least know where to find him when a solution was found. The jaunt would also give him time to scout for Al'brk'vix, who should have been taken care of by now.

"I go out. Hunt Bad Blood. You decide later. Clear mind," Vek'rin'ka told Cass, hoping she would hear him past her tears. Irritated, Vek'rin'ka left through the bedroom's balcony door without Cass acknowledging that she heard him.

Vek'rin'ka traveled through the city unseen. There were many places that he knew would be attractive hideouts for the kind of Bad Bloods that he was used to tracking, but he doubted that they would appeal to any _ooman_ Bad Blood. Still, he had to find and kill Al'brk'vix so he checked everywhere he could think of. He paid special attention to abandoned buildings near suitable food sources.

After making a circuit around the city Vek'rin'ka had found no evidence that Al'brk'vix had surfaced. There were no fresh kills that he could attribute to the Bad Blood and neither he nor his mask picked up the unique pheromone signature.

He did not solely search for Al'brk'vix in that time. As he moved through the city he also checked the places that he knew the _ooman_ Bad Blood had been. The urban forest where Vek'rin'ka had first seen Cass was deserted. The scent that may have lingered in the area was either gone or covered by more recent visitors.

The same was true of the storehouse where Vek'rin'ka had freed the young pup. There was no trace of the Bad Blood. He had returned to neither scene. The only other place Vek'rin'ka knew that Burns had been was Cass' home. To check there Vek'rin'ka knew he would have to be careful. Though it had been five suns since the pup had been killed there were still guards outside Cass's door. Undoubtedly there would be some at her home as well.

Approaching the home from the rear Vek'rin'ka paused near the spot where the child's body had laid. There had been no precipitation since the incident and no attempt had been made to clear the spot of blood. Consequently, a dark stain still marred the green turf.

Vek'rin'ka worked his way up to the rear door and paused when he heard _ooman_ voices and shuffling feet. A scan showed four armed _oomans_. Vek'rin'ka had been expecting guards, but these _oomans_ seemed out of place. The guards outside Cass's room always wore uniforms and carried fairly small burners. The _oomans_ here dressed as the betrayer did. They carried the small burners, but those were not held at the moment. All four held the long barreled burners that fired projectiles that would disperse smaller pellets.

Two of the _oomans_ were stationed in the room that exited into the rear garden. The other two were positioned closer to the front of the dwelling. With the group spread out Vek'rin'ka had not doubt that he could easily dispatch them all if he so chose. He activated his audio enhancer to listen to the on going conversation. If they were in fact Arbitrators and comrades of Cass he would leave them be. However, he had a feeling, an instinct, that they were not.

XXXXX

"So Cach really thinks this alien is following his girl," Charlie asked his companion.

The short man grunted a laugh, "First of all, the chick isn't his girl, just a meaningless score while he's in town. Second, he knows the thing is following her."

"Really Mack? And just how does he know this?"

Mack turned around just in time to see the back door swing open, apparently on its own.

"Dammit Charlie we got company."

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka crouched beneath the window level as he waited for the two _oomans_ to come investigate the entrance. He had decided to stick to bladed weapons as opposed to his shoulder cannon. He did not want to damage Cass's home with a stray shot.

One of the _oomans_ crept closer to the door. It held its burner ready and Vek'rin'ka felt the thrill of the hunt as he waited for the moment to strike. As the _ooman_ stepped to the threshold he dropped his cloak. The _ooman_ didn't have time to register the massive figure crouched before him as Vek'rin'ka's wrist blades snapped out.

Standing quickly, Vek'rin'ka drew the extended _ki'cti-pa_ vertically up the man's torso. Intestines mixed with blood in the doorway but the dying man never made a sound. The hunter and the prey stared into each other's faces as the man died on the blades.

A shout and a resounding boom rang out to remind Vek'rin'ka of his other targets. The second man in the room had fired at Vek'rin'ka and most of the pellets from the shotgun bounced off his armor or buried themselves in the dead man's body. Those that hit Vek'rin'ka's exposed skin stung as they left shallow pock marks in his flesh.

A second and third shout came from the front of the house, along with running footsteps. The man remaining in the room had quickly readied his burner again as Vek'rin'ka moved across the chamber. Side stepping the weapon as it discharged again, he grabbed the _ooman_ by his throat and lifted him clear off the floor. With his free hand he grabbed the burner barrel and ripped it from the struggling man's grasp.

The man watched wide eyed as Vek'rin'ka slammed his shotgun down on the counter with enough force to crack both. Vek'rin'ka dropped the man then. He landed in a heap on the floor rubbing the soreness from his neck. He looked up just in time to see Vek'rin'ka backhand him.

Vek'rin'ka watched the body sail across the room and thud against one of the appliances. It did not get back up and he surmised from the unnatural bend of the neck that the _ooman_ was dead. Two loud reports brought his attention back to the two still living _oomans_ who occupied the doorway. One was kneeling in front of the other. The peppering of the rounds dragged a savage snarl from Vek'rin'ka as he swung around to face his two assailants. They fired again almost in unison. The buckshot from one went wide and the cabinets received most of the injury. The other was low and caught the front of Vek'rin'ka's thigh and armored loincloth.

A low roar shook the windows of the house as Vek'rin'ka charged at the _oomans_. He aimed low and tackled the kneeling man before he could chamber yet another round. The two combatants bowled into the other man and the three went down in a pile.

The man who had been kneeling ended up under Vek'rin'ka. His ribs were crushed and his lungs punctured in no less than four spots. His partner laid face down beside him nursing a concussion. Both men were dazed as Vek'rin'ka rolled away and stood up. He turned back to the men laying on the floor. One clutched his chest struggling to breath. Scanning through the flesh with his mask, Vek'rin'ka saw that the man was drowning in his own blood. Preferring to kill his prey quickly as opposed to letting it suffer Vek'rin'ka swung low with his _ki'cti-pa_ and sliced the man's throat. A bubbled groan escaped the man as his lifeblood was pumped out of his body.

The last man desperately tried to crawl away into the kitchen. His own gun had flown from his hands and was laying somewhere behind the creature. His now deceased comrade's was lying just over the threshold. He heard the dying sounds of his partner as he made a final lunge for the shotgun.

Vek'rin'ka's foot stomped on the man's ankle, shattering it as he came within a hair's breath of reaching the weapon. His finger's brushed the end of the barrel as he screamed in agony. Vek'rin'ka looked down at his trapped and writhing prey. Grinding his weight into his foot pinning the man he stepped past and kicked the burner away.

Turning again to the crippled _ooman_ Vek'rin'ka grabbed him by his collar and dragged him up. The man's eyes were bulging and he was shaking, either in fright or pain. Vek'rin'ka studied the _ooman_ in his grasp. It was a young male, in his prime. This skull would make a tremendous contribution to his trophy collection.

Vek'rin'ka let the man go and stepped back into the kitchen. The man stumbled before grabbing the door frame, unable to support his weight on his broken ankle. Vek'rin'ka stood and watched him as he retracted the _ki'cti-pa. _The man noticeably sagged as the blades sharply slid back into their housing. He tensed again as he watched the alien pull the long telescoping spear from its place on his back. The pain from standing on his ankle and the spinning of his head slowed his thoughts as he prepared to accept his death.

The _ki'its-pa_ was between the two fighters as Vek'rin'ka waited for the _ooman_. The male no longer had the large, loud weapon but did have a small burner strapped to his side. There would be no honor in killing unarmed prey. The _ooman_ stood there doing nothing until Vek'rin'ka looked at the weapon. The man followed Vek'rin'ka's gaze down to his hip holster.

"You're gonna wait until I attack you first," the man said deliriously. Black spots were clouding his vision as he began to loose consciousness. "Fine, have it your way. Better this than the price of failure." He reached down quickly to bring out the 9mm. It would just be a pea shooter, just like the buckshot in the shotguns. Even if the alien was not seriously harmed, the man thought, I could at least cause a little pain for my team.

The burner just cleared its holster when Vek'rin'ka sprang forward again. The spear imbedded itself in its victim's stomach and with an upward thrust cleaved his heart in two. The man's finger spasmed in his death throws sending a round harmlessly into the floor. It was only seconds before he died; in which time he thought just maybe the company had expected this.

Vek'rin'ka pulled his _ki'its-pa_ from the body. It slumped to the floor as he put the weapon away. He quickly set about collecting his new skulls, making sure to include their spines. Once the still bloody trophies were securely in his catch bag Vek'rin'ka went further into the house.

At the entry way to the lounging room the scent of old blood mixed with the fresh from the hall. A dark brown stain ran down the front of one of the cushioned seats and pooled on the floor. The _oomans_ did not seem to consider cleaning up the older female's blood anymore a priority than cleaning that of the pup's.

Looking for any clue that would lead him to the Bad Blood, Vek'rin'ka surveyed the room. He was not surprised when he did not find anything since the _ooman_ had only been there briefly. His scent barely registered to Vek'rin'ka's keen sense anymore, while the scent of the blood and the three females who lived in the home choked the air.

As Vek'rin'ka looked around the room his attention was pulled to the point all the seating seemed to be facing. At the focal point was one of the _oomans'_ visual communications devices. They always struck Vek'rin'ka as odd, since they only worked one way.

Above the device was a display. In a see through protective case lay a folded sheet of material that was similar to the one that had shrouded the fallen Arbitrator's box. Above that was centered an image of a fairly young male _ooman_ in their Arbitrator's garb. On each side of the image was a glass fronted box containing small bits of metal and ribbon. Similar items had been attached to many of the _ooman_ Arbitrators at the fallen one's burial. Whatever the display represented must have meant a lot to Cass to hold such a prized placement.

The rest of the wall was covered in shelves packed with side bound parchments of varying sizes. It was an impressive collection, which Vek'rin'ka assumed contained much knowledge. In the corner was the stringed instrument that Cass had soothed the pup with in the evenings. All the items must have been very important posessesions.

His admiration of the wall was cut short when he heard the faint sounds of the Arbitrators' vehicles. He assumed that someone must have heard the weapons firing and reported it. He stole quickly out the way he had come. He had wanted to remove and properly dress his kills as well as clean up the spilled blood. He not intended to leave the female's home in such a state nor leave such evidence of his intrusion. It was unfortunate, but he would have to leave it the way it was, lest he be discovered by any unwanted _oomans._

Vek'rin'ka's ship was closer than the building Cass was staying in so he went there first. It seemed practical that he cleaned and stored his new trophies first anyway. He hadn't explained what his people did on the planet yet. Considering the limited communication that he and Cass understood of each other, he didn't want to have that discussion yet anyway. Somehow, Vek'rin'ka knew that if he told Cass that his people hunted _oomans_ for sport she would revoke his permission to hunt by her side. Cass needed a partner to hunt down the Bad Blood, and he wanted to be that partner.

Going to the ship would also give Vek'rin'ka an opportunity to repair his injuries. The small holes were already starting to heal over, but he would prefer to remove the projectiles. While he was there he would also be able to pick up one of the clan translators if there was one on the ship.

Carefully, Vek'rin'ka made his way back to he ship, making sure that he left no blood trail. He knew the ship would have to be moved again anyway and decided to fly it back to Cass's temporary residence and set it on the roof. It was unlikely it would be noticed there, and it seemed few _oomans_ had access to that area. The chance of it being found was nil and it would be close at hand, provided that the building was sufficiently strong enough to hold the weight. The Arbitrator's codes were set for it, so Al'brk'vix seeing it would not be a problem either if he managed to find the ship.

When back at the ship, Vek'rin'ka went to the _kehrite_. The medical corner was small but useful. He managed to remove most of the small spheres and sealed his skin. The healing gel stung horribly over the multiple entrance wounds. His savage snarl changed into a roar as the gel began chemically cauterizing the wounds. The antibiotic syringe hurt almost as much but was necessary to prevent the spread of _ooman_ infections to him, or from him to the rest of the clan ship and beyond. While it was true that mutual exposure had traded viruses and bacteria back and forth for millennia, it was never wise to chance a mutant strain being unleashed among either population.

With injuries tended to Vek'rin'ka went back to his quarters. In no time the four new skulls were cleaned, polished and ready for display. Gazing at the last one, he wondered just how he was going to tell Cass what his species did to her people. He wasn't planning on volunteering the information, but if Cass asked he would not lie to her. He could not think about himself lying to her. Besides, spreading false information was dishonorable. Nor was it wise to lie to a female as they tended to get dangerous when they found out the truth.

The time spent cleaning trophies also gave Vek'rin'ka time to think about the attack at the dwelling. He had been told by the Elder High Council that _oomans_ had begun trying to capture live warriors by using sedatives fired from their burners. The _oomans_ at Cass's had been using their normal projectiles. That had greatly relieved Vek'rin'ka at the time. Sedatives would leave him vulnerable, but his armor and natural physique would shrug off most of the _oomans'_ projectiles. Still, he had to wonder about the change in the _oomans'_ plans.

Vek'rin'ka finally prepared the ship to take off as the sun finally set. The darkness would give him extra cover as he flew over the city. He activated the scanners as he neared the right building. The building looked solid enough, and the scanners confirmed that it could bear the weight of the small ship. He set it down gently, barely making a sound beyond the quiet hum of the thrusters.

Before leaving the ship, Vek'rin'ka searched the cockpit until he found a spare translator. The piece was tiny. It would easily fit in Cass's ear and would still remain unnoticeable. The piece was designed for yautja ears, which had no external structure and whose canals were actually smaller than those of _oomans_. Still, if necessary, Cass's hair could be unbound and left to fall over her ear, sufficiently hiding the device. Downloading the translated _ooman_ vocabulary from his wrist computer to the ship, then from the ship to the device took only a couple beats and it was ready.

Once the ship was secure on the roof of the building, Vek'rin'ka quickly descended to Cass's room. The climb down was easy, and there were no _oomans_ out on any of the terraces so he was able to go straight down.

Two voices coming from Cass's room halted Vek'rin'ka before he entered. One was Cass's, the other belonged to Cass's Leader. Vek'rin'ka waited and listened while the two _oomans_ talked quietly.

XXXXX

Adams had stopped by Cass's room briefly. He had to tell her that Sonya's funeral would be the next day. He also had to tell her that Cach was in the wind. No one could find him, though the FBI was looking for him. Even the Weyland Corp. could not, or would not, find him.

With a simple nod and thank you Cass let the police captain out and went to hang up the outfit his wife sent with him for the funeral. When she turned around she was startled to see Vek'rin'ka standing at the balcony door watching her. He had come in so silently she had not heard him.

Vek'rin'ka walked over to Cass and held up the tiny device he had brought from his ship. He then pointed to Cass's ear, "Put in."

"Well, hello to you too," Cass quipped as she cocked her head in a human imitation of what Vek'rin'ka did to display curiosity. "What is it?"

"Help talk," came the rough reply.

"Oh, so you'll understand me?"

"Already know _ooman_ speak. Make Cass understand Vek'rin'ka."

Vek'rin'ka stepped forward and took Cass by the chin. Marveling at how delicate it felt, Vek'rin'ka didn't notice Cass's small gasp. Turning her head slightly Vek'rin'ka placed the tiny bud in her ear. Before he drew back Vek'rin'ka pressed the tiny activation button.

Cass winced involuntarily as the translator sent half a dozen anchoring pins into her ear. The pins only penetrated a millimeter under the skin, but held firm enough to prevent it from falling out.

"You understand now," a clear voice asked through the device. Underneath the translated words Cass heard a series of growling chirps and clicks.

"Yes," Cass told Vek'rin'ka nodding her head. Vek'rin'ka released Cass's face and stepped back. "The other sounds were you?"

Vek'rin'ka nodded again, "Hurt talk _ooman_ speak." Again the translated words were underscored by the growling. Just then Cass stifled a yawn. "Cass need rest," Vek'rin'ka continued, noting how high in the night sky the moon was.

"I'm fine," Cass said sheepishly as a blush spread across her cheeks.

Vek'rin'ka growled, untranslated, and continued, "Cass body need rest, mind need rest. Say farewell tomorrow."

"I still feel like I failed to protect her," Cass sullenly told Vek'rin'ka as she hung her head.

Nudging Cass towards to bed Vek'rin'ka softly spoke, "Pup with Black Warrior now. He protect, he guide."

Cass settled on the bed, not crawling under the blankets. Vek'rin'ka curled a grimacing mandible under his mask. Each time the bedding had been changed, the new was just as contaminated as the old. Vek'rin'ka did not know why, but he severely disliked Cass lying on such things.

"Will you stay tonight," Cass's tired voice asked.

"Yes."

"Thank you. I don't want to be alone anymore."

"Never alone. I watch over. I stay." Cass nodded and soon fell into a restless sleep, haunted by dreams. Vek'rin'ka looked on at the small _ooman_ he was bonded to. It was supposed to be a bond of partnership, of the hunt, but somehow it felt like something more. Something he was not prepared to admit to.

XXXXX

Cach walked into the building that had been set up as a clandestine hide out. This hide out had been fully equipped for interrogation and to hold any persons of interest to Weyland's secret objectives. From the exterior, the building's abandoned boarding kennel façade effectively hid its true use.

A row of formerly neglected kennels lined one of the walls providing secure cells. Only one was occupied when Cach asked for an update on their detainee. The figure slumped in the cell looked a little worse for wear with several new bruises. The man remained still save for his labored breathing.

"Where's Charlie," Cash demanded to the large man approaching him.

"Dead," Matt replied. "He was with the team squattin' on the woman's house. The target entered and over ran our team."

"Why wasn't I notified," barked the furious Cach.

"We've been leaving text and voice mails every five minutes since it happened," Matt defended. Huffing, Cach pulled out his cell phone, the external display showing the pending messages. With a derisive snort Cach shoved the phone back into his pocket.

"So how did the clean up go then," Cass said calmly.

"It almost didn't," the guard told Cach pensively. The sudden shift between the raving and the calm unnerved him. Quickly he added, "Some nosy neighbor called the cops. The team was using shotguns for cripes sake."

"They were supposed to have silenced rifles," Cach said disgusted.

"Either way, we were able to get there first and maintain control until most of the clean up was done."

"Most," Cach raised an eyebrow.

"There was a counter top that needed to be replaced and a few cupboard doors. We could only hold off the real cops for so long."

"Fine," Cach said. "At least there was no evidence of the target left, or any connection that would lead back to us. Right?"

"Yes sir," Matt confirmed. "Everything was removed and the enzyme cleaner was spread over all biologicals."

"Good."

"I just wonder why all of a sudden the company changed objectives and now they aren't insisting on a live one."

"Circumstances change. That's all you need to know."

Before Matt could dispute that a groan came from the sole occupied cell. Cach looked at Matt with a sly grin on his face. "Looks like out guest is waking up."

The two men walked over to the cell, pausing at a table in the center of the room for Matt to pick up his rather intimidating looking assault rifle. Cach bent down to the man lying near the door to have a closer look. His eyes were bruised a deep shade of purple and his nose pointed off to the left instead of being center. His ankles were bound with rope and his hands were cuffed behind his back.

"Pretty cut up since the last time I saw him," Cass observed.

"Well, he woke up a couple of times and started mouthing off. So the men had a go at convincing him to shut up," the gun wielding guard drawled smugly.

"Fine, so long as he can talk. Try not to break any bones," Cach looked over the broken nose. "At least any more."

Dejectedly Matt lowered his head, "OK sir."

"And make sure he is awake for me to talk to tomorrow. We need to have a chat."

"I'll make sure of it, boss," Matt said as the sly gleam returned to his eye.

_**Author's Notes:**__ I know it took a dang long time to get this up. Sorry guys. Work stuff. It's just wearing me out, and I have no energy to write. Heck, half the time I can't stay awake long enough to even read. So it looks like there is going to be a long wait between chapters from now on. But I WILL finish this story. I promise. It just may take a while._


	16. A New Partner

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter:** Sixteen: A New Partner

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 4549

The next day weighed heavily on both Cass and Vek'rin'ka. He had been prepared to follow Cass to the funeral until she had asked him to stay away. At first Vek'rin'ka insisted on trailing her, not telling her that he hoped one of the Bad Bloods would show up so that he could deal with them. Nor would he admit to the concern her felt about what would happen to her if she was caught alone.

Only Cass's stubborn insistence and the threat of new tears convinced Vek'rin'ka to heed her wishes. He didn't, however, tell her that he would be constantly monitoring her. The small measure of her tracking device did not satisfy the protectiveness he had felt toward the small female but it would have to do.

So Cass had left in the morning with the male that had been in the room the night before, a male that Vek'rin'ka decided he did not like in the least. It may have been Cass's tenseness around the man she called Adams, but Vek'rin'ka already detested the _ooman_. Still, Cass had promised to return before nightfall so Vek'rin'ka stayed close. Before leaving the rooms he set up a small proximity alarm to send a signal and video feed up to his ship telling him when Cass returned.

Climbing up to the roof of the building took little time and Vek'rin'ka entered his ship unseen. The previous night, like many others, had not brought any rest with it, not that he would have let his guard down anyway. With Cass in the care of another Arbitrator, albeit one that he didn't like, Vek'rin'ka felt it was safe enough to allow himself some sleep. When he awakened he would be fresh and he would finally bring his prey's skull to his wall.

The pelts and warmth in his quarters were a welcome change to the sullied textiles and chill of the _ooman_ rooms. By Vek'rin'ka's own count he had been awake for almost a minor lunar cycle. The _ooman's_ own moon had gone through half its phases and the fatigue was beginning to catch up with him.

Unlike the night when questions plagued Vek'rin'ka's mind, sleep claimed him easily. With the ship secure and all sensors operating properly he could relax his guard slightly. He woke only once during the mid-day when the cleaning _aseigan_ entered the room below. Vek'rin'ka grumbled quietly under his breath as he turned off the monitor and threw the pelt back over himself. He only woke again to the beeping indicating his proximity alarm had been tripped again. A quick look out the view port showed the sun to be setting just before Vek'rin'ka activated his monitor again.

The feed showed Cass in her rooms once more, before moon rise as she promised. Vek'rin'ka quickly went back to his room to pull his armor on. He stopped at his mask, holding it before him. Cass had never seen him without it and he wondered at what her reaction would be to his face. Would she be terrified as many of his trophies had been when they saw his face? He doubted it. She had seen his talons, felt his hide, both so unlike the puny nails and delicate skin of her own kind, and still she had accepted him

He quelled his questions as he placed his mask on and began to attach his weapons. He would show her his face tonight and he would answer her questions. No longer would he hide anything from her, his partner, his friend.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka had expected to find Cass resting on the bed when he finally finished climbing down the side of the building. Instead he found the room empty except for the garment she had worn that day lying on the floor. The washing room was dark as well. He walked through the bedroom to find Cass sitting on the long cushioned seat. She clutched one of the head pads from the other room to her chest as her legs were pulled up to it as well. She remained oblivious to Vek'rin'ka as she muffled her sobs in the pad, only noticing him when he sat on the edge of the seat beside her.

"I thought you left," Cass strained to say as she looked up into Vek'rin'ka's face. He could see her trying to fight down the tears glistening in her eyes.

"Not leave Cass, wait near," Vek'rin'ka told her. He purred at her look of confusion. "Stay in ship for day, no _ooman_ find."

"Then I guess it's good that the department ended the guard at the door." Vek'rin'ka raised a brow ridge under his mask. There was no _ooman_ guard for Cass anymore. She would be vulnerable now until the child killer was caught and dealt with. More over, Vek'rin'ka would not be able to hunt for either Bad Blood without leaving her unprotected.

When Cass leaned over to lay her head on Vek'rin'ka's arm his other brow ridge rolled up in surprise. She had not gotten this close to him in the days since the first night. At every turn she had tried not to show her grief and rely on her own strength, sometimes failing, but always trying.

With a heavy sigh Cass asked the questions Vek'rin'ka had been dreading from her, "Vek, why are you here?"

Cass felt Vek'rin'ka tense beside her and knew that she probably would not like the answer she was about to get. As he would do in any fight to avoid a debilitating strike Vek'rin'ka dodged.

Instead of answering the question how Cass had obviously meant it, Vek'rin'ka gave her an answer that might stall her while he thought of the best way to tell her. He just didn't know how to tell her that his clan hunted _oomans_ for sport, and that that is why a dangerous Bad Blood had come to the planet.

"Self hunt Bad Bloods. Cass hunt Bad Bloods. Hunt as pack. More victory."

Cass let out a haggard sigh, "That's not what I meant."

Vek'rin'ka turned his head to look at Cass's small form. When he had first seen her this close she had looked so small and fragile. In the ensuing days after that first horrid night, though, he had seen her strength and spirit trickle back. Now, with her again leaning on him for support, all the progress had disappeared. Her spirit was all but gone and he wondered if his next words would crush what was left.

Lifting Cass's face to look into his Vek'rin'ka, took one final deep breath, "Vek'rin'ka Yautja, you _ooman_. Yautja warriors, hunters. Fight for honor, show skills, strength." He paused to gauge Cass's reaction to his words. Her brow was furrowed as she either tried to comprehend the broken _ooman_ speech from the translator or work something out in her mind.

"Your people hunt humans." It was a statement not a question and the tone was emotionally flat.

Vek'rin'ka nodded before continuing, "Ooman great trophy. Bring great honor."

Cass pulled back and leaned against the back of the couch. She eyed Vek'rin'ka warily. "Is that why you're here? Were you…"

"_Mo,_" Vek'rin'ka interrupted before Cass could finish. "Vek'rin'ka not hunt _oomans_, not hunt Cass. Hunt Bad Blood hiding."

"So there is another yaootjah on Earth," Cass said. "He's dangerous, isn't he?"

Vek'rin'ka leveled the emotionless eye pieces of his mask at Cass. "Very dangerous."

Quietly, almost not wanting to know what would make a yautja a Bad Blood in a society that would hunt people, Cass asked her companion, "Why is he a Bad Blood?"

"The s'yuit-de attack female. Force her to accept him." Vek'rin'ka stopped when he felt Cass grab his arm.

"He raped her, didn't he?"

Vek'rin'ka used the hand not being held by Cass to cup the side of her face. "Yes," he told her dejectedly. "She die as she fight. A young female, near first breeding. Not strong to fight pack of males."

"So you are going to kill him?"

"Yes," Vek'rin'ka growled turning his face away from Cass.

"There's more. He did something to you."

Perceptive little _ooman_, Vek'rin'ka thought to himself, probably what makes her a good hunter. "He kill Arbitrator Esh'ta. Sire." Cass was silent after the revelation and Vek'rin'ka took the opportunity to try to steer the subject away from his own Bad Blood hunt. "Why not run when meet?" Vek'rin'ka patted his chest to indicate himself. "Not angry for hunting _oomans_?"

Cass reached up to turn Vek'rin'ka's face back to her. "Did you kill children?"

"No hunt pups," Vek'rin'ka barked at Cass causing her to pull her hand back and press herself deeper into the couch. Realizing he startled her, Vek'rin'ka continued more calmly. "No hunt pups. No hunt females. Only warrior with weapons."

"Those are the rules of your hunting?"

"Yes." Vek'rin'ka could see Cass mulling over the information in her mind. She was adapting to it better than he had though she would. Still, he remembered, she had not answered his questions. He didn't know what her reasons where and he wanted to find out. "Not angry for killing _oomans?_ Not hate?"

"If I were to hate you I would have to hate myself," Cass told him leaning forward to lean her head back on his arm. "Besides, you're my friend and you've helped me. And you saved that little girl. Why?"

Vek'rin'ka though for a moment, recalling the anger he had felt seeing the small pup being abused. "Pup innocent. Need be guard from Bad Bloods. Many _ooman_ Bad Bloods. Dame not there. Arbitrators not there yet. Bad Blood going to kill. Stop him."

"But not kill him. That's another rule, right," Cass said remembering the talks about killing Burns from the past couple days. "You can't take another's prey." Vek'rin'ka didn't bother to answer verbally and instead nodded his head letting his dreadlocks cascade over his shoulders.

"I want him dead Vek. I don't care anymore. I can't let him breathe when he has taken so much. I didn't protect Sonya when she was alive, but I can stop him from hurting anyone else."

"Not your hunt you say. Your Leader punish for hunting?"

"Probably more than just Adams if they figure it out, but I don't care. I can't do this job anymore. Not after seeing Sonya lying in that casket."

Vek'rin'ka was stunned into silence. He had known Cass was hurting, but he had not expected her to let go of what she admitted to being the last worthy thing in her life. Especially after how vehemently she had clung to it just a short time ago. "I teach hunt yautja way. You hunt, kill Bad Blood. Not punished." Vek'rin'ka could not believe the words that were coming past his mandibles even as he said them. If he did this he would not be able to leave her here, at least alive. She would either die fighting the _ooman_ Bad Blood or he would have to remove her. His last thought rang clearly in his head. She truly would be beyond the punishment of her own kind.

Even as Vek'rin'ka second guessed himself Cass was looking up at him, waiting. Finally she asked, "Why wouldn't I be punished?"

"Not find," Vek'rin'ka reassured her. He didn't elaborate that it would be her that the _ooman _Arbitrators would not find. Cass leaned closer into Vek'rin'ka, using his arm in place of the pillow that had been abandoned on the floor.

"Why were you following me anyway? Since you said you weren't hunting me."

Vek'rin'ka moved his arm to encircle Cass as he answered. "Curious. Female warrior. More curious when find out pup."

"Why," Cass inquired without looking up, more concerned with finding a comfortable and preferably unarmored place to rest against. The stress and heat of the day were finally catching up her, exemplifying her exhaustion.

"Female warrior rare. _Ooman_ males good prey. Females rare fight. Cass have pup care for. If hurt, die, who care for?"

"The state. A foster home probably," Cass said sleepily. "Do your females fight?"

"Females fight protect pups. Not hunters." Vek'rin'ka looked down at Cass to find that she had slipped into sleep as he was speaking. Not wishing to disturb her, and finding an unexpected contentment in her nearness, Vek'rin'ka simply leaned back on the couch and allowed her to stay. The wooden frame creaked under the weight and Cass leaned in harder. Vek'rin'ka wrapped his arm around her small body to lend his warmth and strength, preparing to spend another night idle. The next day the hunt would begin.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka stayed awake all night watching over Cass's sleeping form. Near dawn, as he gazed out the window, he had thought he saw the heat pattern of another yautja. It flitted across the roof and was gone before he had a chance to focus on it.

Vek'rin'ka tightened his grip around Cass's shoulders subconsciously. If Al'brk'vix knew where she was then he would have to get her ready. She had no weapons or armor with her. Cass would have to decide where she was going to get them. When, Vek'rin'ka was certain it would be a when, not an if, Al'brk'vix attacked Cass she would need to have weapons she knew how to use well and trusted. Vek'rin'ka knew he could train her with a staff or a blade, but she would be a novice and at a severe disadvantage when it came to physical strength. Such a situation would earn her a quick death at the hands of the Bad Blood.

Cass moved against Vek'rin'ka, turning herself to face his abdomen. He let her settle again, listening to the soft whimpers of her talking in her sleep. The sun had not been up long and it would be sometime before Cass would wake. When she did they would get weapons and begin the hunt for her Bad Blood. Vek'rin'ka would also keep an eye keen to the presence of Al'brk'vix. Vek'rin'ka was not about to be surprised by him, and he was not going to let Al'brk'vix get anywhere close to Cass. The Bad Blood had taken his father, he would not allow Al'brk'vix to take Cass away from him.

A low, possessive growl erupted from Vek'rin'ka as he tightened his grip on Cass. She hummed as she buried her face against his stomach before pushing herself up. Vek'rin'ka watched her blink sleepily as the world came back into focus. Her dark hair was a mess of tangles around her face, one side of which was bright red from having been slept on.

Vek'rin'ka pulled his arm back as Cass spoke to him, still half asleep, "Fell asleep on you again, huh?" A chuffing laugh was all that told her it was true. "Sorry," she said as she turned her head from side to side cracking her neck.

Vek'rin'ka stared at the way the muscles moved under Cass's skin. She may have had a tiny form, but there was strength hidden there. As she lifted her arms over her head to stretch her tank top's strap fell to the side showing Vek'rin'ka another thing her body hid.

In Cass's shoulder, just above her collarbone was a scar. It was not fresh but Vek'rin'ka recognized the pattern that was carried proudly by many warriors returning from this planet. Someone had harmed Cass with an _ooman_ burner.

With lightning speed Vek'rin'ka grabbed Cass's arm and pulled the shirt further away from the wound. Cass pulled away from Vek'rin'ka and tried to free her arm. It was no use trying to fight the grip he had on her so she pulled back her foot and kicked him in the soft spot she had previously be using as a pillow. Not expecting the force behind the hit Vek'rin'ka let go of Cass's arm allowing her to scramble backwards until she hit the arm of the couch.

"What the hell are you doing," Cass yelled when she didn't have anymore room to retreat.

"Who hurt Cass," Vek'rin'ka growled as he reached for her again. He managed to grab her again and hauled her to her feet as he stood up. Cass fought the grip on her wrist that held her. When she didn't answer him, he repeated more forcefully, "Who hurt Cass?"

Vek'rin'ka had every intention of killing the _ooman_ that had harmed her when Cass finally yelled back at him, "A dead man!"

Vek'rin'ka let Cass's arm drop but she didn't retreat from him this time. She stood her ground and stared straight into his eye pieces. "_Ooman_ dead," Vek'rin'ka asked more calmly but just as seriously.

"Ya, I killed him," Cass's voice was a deadly hiss. Vek'rin'ka stood before her, looking back into her eyes.

Slowly, Vek'rin'ka put his hand on her shoulder, "Good hunt."

Cass's steady stare never left Vek'rin'ka as she said, "Damn right." Only then did a sly grin break the tension on her face.

Stepping back Vek'rin'ka pulled out his spear. "Hunt now. Kill Bad Blood. _M-di h'chak._" Cass's stare finally broke from Vek'rin'ka as she eyed the collapsed _ki'its-pa._ "Cass need weapons."

"I know where to get them. But…" Cass said as she suppressed a shudder. Vek'rin'ka waited for her to continue. "Not before breakfast. I'm starving." As if on cue her stomach growled its agreement. Vek'rin'ka nodded his ascent before moving to stand by the window.

Cass looked him over form behind, "Well the restaurant isn't an option, so I guess it's room service." Vek'rin'ka tipped his head as he listened to Cass use the communication device to order food brought to her room. Until the food came, Vek'rin'ka stood at the window scanning the roof tops. He had not forgotten the signature he thought he saw near the sunrise. It was possible, even probable, that Al'brk'vix had found the ship if he had crawled out of his hiding place. Vek'rin'ka would not be caught off guard when that coward showed himself.

When a knock sounded on the door Vek'rin'ka quickly ducked into the bedroom while Cass answered. There was the clatter of _ooman_ eating tools and trays being set down then the door closed again.

"All clear," Cass called, letting Vek'rin'ka know he could rejoin her. He came out of the room and found Cass sitting back on the couch with a tray of food. Only the thin strips on the plate were identifiable as meat. The other two things Vek'rin'ka could not recognize. One was a yellow mash that smelled like poultry eggs, the other looked like some kind of cooked plant material. There was also a large bowl of fruit, native to the planet, if not the region.

Vek'rin'ka stood back and watched Cass eagerly ingest most of the strange food. "Do you ever eat," she asked.

The question pulled Vek'rin'ka out of his silent examination. "Yes," he grunted as he cocked his head to the side to silently ask why.

"Well, there's plenty of food here if you're hungry." Vek'rin'ka didn't know what to make of Cass's offer. It was tradition, in both cultures as far as Vek'rin'ka had observed, for the males to provide food for the female, not the other way around. Her next comment eased his thoughts and explained her strange offer to him. "It's not exactly good manners for me to sit here and shovel my face and not offer you anything."

Being invited, Vek'rin'ka moved to kneel across the low table from Cass and studied the offering. All of the interesting smelling meat was on Cass's own plate and he had not intention of encroaching on that. The bowl of fruit was near him and from previous trips to the planet he knew he would be able to eat it.

Reaching up to detach the power and air supply to the mask, Vek'rin'ka caught Cass staring at him expectantly. She tricked him, Vek'rin'ka thought. Offer the food to see my face without my mask. He trilled quietly as he laughed.

"Tricky _ooman_," Vek'rin'ka said as he finished removing the lines. Purring reassuringly he lifted his mask away from his face. His tusked mandibles clicked on each others as they stretched from the confines of the helmet.

Lowering the mask Vek'rin'ka held it just below his eyes allowing Cass to see their red flecked gold for the first time. Cass, for her part, had put down her fork as she watched Vek'rin'ka with a wide grin on her face. She hadn't become a damn good detective for nothing.

She took in the scar running vertically over his left eye knowing there had to be a story behind it, a story that he would have to tell if he wanted to hear the story about her scar. Still her eyes were drawn to the gold eyes flecked with pin drop points of red. There was a fierce pride there, along with the strength acquired with wisdom.

Vek'rin'ka finished removing his mask and set it down on the table revealing the four articulate mandibles surrounding a fleshy mouth. Ringing the mouth on what would have been lips, though lacking the mobility of those on humans, were small, pointed, undoubtedly sharp teeth. Vek flexed each mandible at Cass trying to draw a reaction from her.

Cass watched as each mandible curled and uncurled paying close attention to how they moved. Despite having used the being across from her as a pillow she had no inclination to reach out and touch that part of his anatomy. When she again shifted her gaze to his eyes Vek'rin'ka curled his lower mandibles and spread his upper ones wide in his own grin.

"What look'n at," Vek'rin'ka said in a close approximation of an old _ooman_ slang term.

"Nothing," Cass said innocently. "I was just wondering what you looked like under there." Finishing her explanation she resumed eating, only occasionally glancing at Vek'rin'ka.

Vek'rin'ka purred at his companion's entertaining remarks. At least, after days of moroseness, she seemed ready to challenge the world. He picked up on of the pieces of fruit and held it near his mandibles. Cass watched discreetly, trying hard not to stare as the mandibles reached out to take the fruit and move it past the outer ring of teeth at his mouth. From what Cass could see he didn't chew the fruit with any interior teeth but used the fleshy parts to crush the fruit. She also saw what she guessed was thin tube-like mobile tongue that he would use to stop any food from falling out of his mouth.

Both Cass and Vek'rin'ka ate quickly, knowing that there was a full day ahead of them. Vek'rin'ka finished off the entire bowl of fruit before Cass and immediately asked Cass the question that had been nagging his curiosity.

Pointing to Cass's shoulder Vek'rin'ka demanding, "Tell story scar."

"Well," Cass said swallowing the last of her breakfast. "About 6 years ago I was part of another unit. This unit's focus was on stopping the drug dealing in the city. Because I looked so young we decided to set up an undercover operation." Vek'rin'ka had been listening intently until Cass said 'undercover.'

"What 'undercover' mean," he interrupted.

Stopping just as she was going to continue, "Undercover means that I am given a fake identity and act that role to gain the trust of the criminals, the Bad Bloods, that I'm investigating. We do them so we can get enough evidence to prove to the courts that these people broke the law."

"Sound dangerous, challenging way to hunt Bad Bloods. What happen if Bad Bloods find out Arbitrators?"

"Well that much is pretty obvious," Cass replied gesturing to her shoulder. "The night this happened was supposed to be the take down. The team was in place and there were just waiting for my signal to move in. It was going perfectly until one of the backup team gave away his position. Then all hell broke loose.

"A couple of the Bad Bloods lookouts started firing on the team. Both the dealer I was with and his contact started accusing each other of working for us. Then the contact shot my target.

"I pulled my weapon and identified myself. He fired on me and I fired back. I hit him dead center in the chest and he got my shoulder. He died, I didn't.

"And that's the story. Not much else to it."

Vek'rin'ka had listened to the whole story fascinated with the different approach to catching the Bad Bloods. "Very tricky _ooman_," he said finally.

"I am what I am," Cass said with a shrug. "And I'm good at what I do. What about that scar on you eye. Gotta be a story behind that."

"Warrior not tell own stories. Others tell."

"I don't see anyone else here to tell them."

Trilling another laugh Vek'rin'ka gave in to Cass's reasoning. "Fought other warrior when young. Fight for female. Victor find female favor. Fight honorable. Many hits prove to female both strong. Challenger hit with talons, make scar. Leave open throat, no defense. Punch throat, challenger falls. I win. _Nain-desintje-de._"

"Congratulations," Cass replied with a slight roll of her eyes. Changing the conversation away from the discussion of their scars lest Vek'rin'ka ask about the one on her face again she continued, "So, now that breakfast is out of the way I think its time to get outta here."

"Need get Cass weapons," Vek'rin'ka nodded in approval. "Where get them?"

"I have to go back to the house." The last statement had lost the easy calm from earlier. "I have a gun locker there. No one would have been able to get into it."

Vek'rin'ka didn't know if Cass's home had been cleaned of the blood, both from the murders and his battle there. Seeing her pup's blood on the ground may push her back into her depression, but she did seem resolved to the task at hand. Either way, if the dwelling was where her weapons were, that would be where they must go.

"How get there," Vek'rin'ka asked. For Cass to walk to her home from the temporary dwelling would take most of the day. A short flight in his ship would take them there.

Before Vek'rin'ka could propose that course of action, however, Cass spoke up, "Adams left my truck in the parking lot. Are you planning on riding with me?"

Vek'rin'ka thought back to the times when he had ridden in the cargo area of her vehicle. The hold he had had to keep to prevent himself from being thrown almost convinced him to meet her at the dwelling.

Shaking away the uneasiness that accompanied the thought of another voyage in the terrestrial vehicle, he said, "Go with Cass."

"Great. Just give me a minute." Cass turned and quickly made her way into the bedroom only to emerge scant minutes later in another set of the seemingly endless supply of the MDPD sweats. "Ready to go?" She stood relaxed with the keys aloft.

Vek'rin'ka nodded crisply and engaged his camouflage before going back through the bedroom and started his climb down the building.

"Time to get this show on the road," Cass muttered to herself as she walked out of the door.


	17. Gone to Ground

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Seventeen: Gone to Ground

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 4840

Remembering the passenger riding in the back of the truck Cass drove carefully towards her house. In her mind she told herself the departure from her normally reckless driving habits had nothing to do with not wanting to reach her destination. Even so, the closer she got to her neighborhood the more her stomach clenched until she was parked in front of her house.

The yellow police tape was gone; telling Cass that what was her home was no longer a protected crime scene. Cass sat at the curb looking up at the two story building until there was a tap on her window. Startled out of her nostalgia she looked to the distortion that marked Vek'rin'ka's position just outside her door. Nodding both to herself and her invisible partner Cass took a deep breath and got out of the truck.

"I have a gun locker in my room," Cass told Vek'rin'ka as she stood outside the truck staring at the house. Vek'rin'ka placed his cloaked hand on her shoulder to let her know that he was near before they entered the house.

Barely louder than a whisper, Cass thanked Vek'rin'ka before she started toward the house. She fingered the keys in her hand as her front door got closer, a nervous habit. It seemed like no time had passed before they were standing on the porch facing the entrance to the last place on Earth that Cass wanted to be.

The sounds or rather, the lack of them, coming from the house unnerved Cass. Where she should have been able to hear laughing and the sounds of breakfast being made at this time of day there was only her own heartbeat and the quiet rasp of Vek'rin'ka's breathing. There wasn't even a breeze to disturb the leaves on the trees and the neighborhood was oddly quiet.

The lock disengaged with a loud click before Cass even remembered putting the key in the door. Swallowing away the guilt and sorrow that threatened to overwhelm her again, Cass pushed through the door and stepped over the threshold. When the ghosts that she had been expecting did not immediately assault her, she hurried toward the stairs to the upper level.

Vek'rin'ka followed close behind, unsure how she would react to the still present evidence of her niece's murder. He was not completely surprised to find that the visible evidence of his own battle had been cleaned up though he could still smell the cleaners that had been employed to break down the spilled blood.

Cass had started up the stairs in a hurry, taking them two at a time. At the top Vek'rin'ka followed her past the door to the little pup's room. The scent was fainter now, not having a living source to replenish what drifted away on the air currents Vek'rin'ka realized with a twinge in his chest. Cass was in her own room pulling bundles of clothes and items of footwear out of her closet with Vek'rin'ka approached her.

In front of Cass, from what Vek'rin'ka could see was a long metal case. It's length ran about his arm span and stood up to his knee. Cass had finished spinning a dial to release one of the locks before she pressed her opposable finger to a small scanner and typed something in on the small key pad. The second lock snapped as it released and Cass swung the lid up.

The sight inside the case impressed Vek'rin'ka greatly. Inside were twelve _ooman_ burners ranging from the small ones that Vek'rin'ka had seen Cass handle before to longer ones he had seen used by _oomans_ when they hunted their native animals. All the weapons looked well maintained and ready for use.

On a closer look Vek'rin'ka noticed there were no blades present. While he was mildly disappointed he was reassured by his decision to allow her fight with her own weapons. Vek'rin'ka watched Cass as she began pulling out and inspecting each burner.

Cass's first selection was one of the smaller burners similar to the one she had carried constantly during her hunt. It was an appropriate choice Vek'rin'ka concluded. It would be as familiar to her as his _ki'cti-pa _was to him. Cass then set it aside and started to look at the larger burners.

"Need close weapons," Vek'rin'ka interrupted. "Not far away when kill Bad Blood."

"Don't worry," Cass said calmly as she lifted another gun from the locker. "Urban Sniper. This is almost overkill at point blank range." The black matte finish of the gun would have shone if possible as Cass expertly tested the grip and sights.

Vek'rin'ka looked the burner again and finally noticed the object encasing the trigger. Looking at the smaller burner he saw the same contraption on it as well.

"How work," Vek'rin'ka pointed to the trigger lock. "Why?"

Cass pulled a ring of keys from the chest. "Like this," she said as she unlocked the guard on her shotgun. Setting it aside she took the lock off her 9mm as well. "As for why, you can never be too careful with children in the house." Cass's tone was flat as she checked the chamber and magazine to ensure the gun was unloaded. After the check she pulled a shoulder holster out of the locker and slipped the Glock into it.

So, Vek'rin'ka thought, the precautions were to protect the pup, similar to the precautions taken in a _yautja_ home. In homes with small pups weapons were still displayed along with their owner's trophies, there was just a clear glass over them that required the owner's code to open. It was unfortunate that such precautions were not able to save the pup's life, though Vek'rin'ka wisely didn't say as such to Cass.

Getting up, Cass walked over to the bed, still unmade from its last use, and pulled an overnight bag from underneath. Pulling open draws from the nearby dresser Cass began throwing handfuls of her garments in it to Vek'rin'ka's bewilderment.

When she was satisfied that there was enough she hauled the bag over to the weapons. After checking the magazine and chamber on the shotgun to make sure it too was unloaded, she put it in the bag on top of the packed clothes. She slid the Glock in beside it and pulled a box of ammunition for each gun out of the locker.

When the weapons and ammo were nestled in the bag Cass threw more clothing from the dresser into the bag. With the guns completely concealed Cass zipped the bag up and stood up. Vek'rin'ka looked at the bag and cocked his head to the side, trilling his question of why.

Cass walked over to him with the bag slung over her shoulder and tapped his wrist computer with one finger. "Camouflage."

Vek'rin'ka understood immediately. In his time on the _ooman's_ planet he had not seen very many of them carry such weapons visibly. Those that did were usually either Bad Bloods or Arbitrators, if not part of the warrior packs that worked for the various _ooman_ governments. To hide her weapons in plain sight was tricky. Of course, Vek'rin'ka knew that she was tricky. With the way that Cass had tricked him into removing his mask and from what she had told him of her 'undercover' hunting, he mused, he would have to keep an eye on her.

Cass and Vek'rin'ka left the bedroom and started back downstairs. Passing the door to Sonya's room Cass paused and placed her hand on it as if to push it open. She hesitated then hung her head and let her hand drop away.

"She's not here anymore," Cass said to no one in particular. Vek'rin'ka placed his hand on her shoulder as reassurance and when she didn't move after a moment gently guided her away.

The two hunters continued down the stairs in silence. It was not until the doorway to the living room that Cass stopped again. Vek'rin'ka tried to prod her on passed the place that would cause her to spiral downward emotionally again. Cass stepped away from Vek'rin'ka's guiding hand and entered the room.

The stain of Joan's blood was still on and beside the couch. In the intervening days it had turned a sickly rusty brown color, but it was the only evidence of the violence that had happened in the room. Cass looked at it for a moment with flat, emotionless eyes then turned away. She walked over to the shelf holding her father's medals and photo.

Whispering quietly Cass touched the picture lightly and said, "Forgive me daddy." Cass turned away and walked over to her guitar. "We can go now," she said to Vek'rin'ka as she passed him at the door.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka had stood silently waiting for Cass to finish whatever she was doing in the lounging room. She had asked someone called 'daddy' for forgiveness. This 'daddy' was apparently the male in the image. Vek'rin'ka had heard many small _ooman_ pups refer to their sires as 'daddy' so this image could have been that of Cass's sire. Asking him forgiveness could have made sense in an _ooman_ way, perhaps for the departure from the Rules of Arbitration that she was about to begin. She had mentioned that her sire had been an Arbitrator and as such he would not likely approve of the breach.

Whatever the reason, the moment didn't last long. Cass moved to pick up the stringed instrument and walked back to Vek'rin'ka telling him it was time to leave the home. Before Cass opened the door Vek'rin'ka cloaked himself and stepped up behind her. He could not understand why she would take the music maker when she had not taken any armor, not that he had seen any. It was obvious that the instrument was not a weapon and by the way Cass handled it reverently would never allow it to be used as such. They calmly walked across the lawn to the truck and Cass opened the passenger door.

"Are you riding in the back again," Cass queried. Vek'rin'ka gave her an affirmative tap on the shoulder and she went ahead and placed her bag on the passenger seat. She went to set the guitar in the cab when Vek'rin'ka stopped her. The why trilling came from just by Cass's ear and she shuddered at the unexpected closeness.

Cass looked down at the guitar in her hand and then looked back at the house before answering him. It was still dark and ominously silent. "That's not home anymore," she said quietly. "I'm not planning on coming back." Vek'rin'ka let go and Cass put he guitar carefully in the truck.

After Cass closed the door she turned around to be confronted by the blurry outline of Vek'rin'ka. While he was not as menacing towering over her as she expected he was certainly invading her space. Sidestepping around him, Cass felt him take hold of her arm effectively stopping her from moving.

"No armor," he quietly growled now that they were outdoors.

"I have it," Cass replied as she pulled out of his loose grip. When she freed herself she went around to the driver's side of the truck. From behind the driver's seat Cass pulled out a standard bullet-resistant vest. Swinging it up to lay on the truck's hood for Vek'rin'ka's inspection, Cass added, "There."

Vek'rin'ka looked at the cloth-like armor critically. It had the advantage of being light and flexible but that was about it. The plating, if it could be called that, only covered the chest and upper abdomen. All Cass's extremities would be bare, the blood supply to them left unprotected. The entire design seemed to be concentrated on protecting only the center mass of its wearer, a design flaw that had been illustrated to Vek'rin'ka already with the death of the other Arbitrator.

"Only armor," Vek'rin'ka grumbled as he ran a skeptical eye over the vest.

"Only stuff I ever had." Cass then threw it back behind her seat and looked back to find Vek'rin'ka already crouching in the bed of the truck. "Where to now?"

Vek'rin'ka thought for a moment. He had wanted to start the hunt as soon as they had gotten weapons for Cass. Now that would have to wait again while he collected or made the pieces of armor that any _yautja_ hunter would need. "Night room," he told her.

"Back to the hotel? Why," Cass asked unsure if that was what he meant. "I thought we were going to go after Burns."

"Need supplies," Vek'rin'ka said simply as Cass climbed in behind the wheel.

"Fine," she irritably growled. "But I don't like all this malingering."

Vek'rin'ka chuckled at Cass. Trust a female to blame someone else for taking their time. On the ride back to the hotel Vek'rin'ka thought about how he would make armor suitable for Cass. The pieces would be smaller than normal for one thing. There was also the _oomans'_ modern preference for soft, clothlike armor. If the ship had a store of tanned leather in the hold, Vek'rin'ka thought, that would be perfect. Going through an inventory of what he would have to make, he counted on wrist bracers, though minus the blades and computer. Next would be shoulder guards, hopefully thick enough to stop any of the _oomans'_ projectiles. As he thought more, he decided against anything for Cass's legs. She was not used to wearing such armor and it would likely interfere with her natural movement.

When the vehicle finally stopped after a much quicker ride to the hotel Cass got out and draped herself over the side of the truck bed. "So what now?"

"Wait in room. I back soon. When back begin hunt." Vek'rin'ka then got out of the truck and quickly made his way around the building leaving Cass by herself

"Well," Cass said more to herself because of the abrupt departure of her puzzling companion. "Hurry back." Removing her bag and guitar, Cass made her way up to her room to wait.

Waiting had become extremely aggravating. Pacing had only just been able to keep Cass from running out on her own. The droning of some soap opera she had been using for background noise only served to annoy her more. Still, with the television off the room was too quiet. Finally, her eyes settled on the guitar leaning against the sofa.

Picking it up and settling on the couch, Cass began strumming out a song she heard recently. Soon she was humming along with the Brooks & Dunn song "Believe." The music flowed from her fingers as she lost track of time. Cass was nearing the last chorus of Sarah McLauchlan's "Angel" when she finally heard the raspy breathing of Vek'rin'ka sitting on the opposite end of the couch.

Cass stopped and opened her eyes to see the local 6 o'clock news had just started. The morning at the house seemed a million years away. "Well, it's about time you got back. Where are you're supplies?"

XXXXX

"Wakey, wakey Mister Burns," Cach slapped the semiconscious man strapped to the chair. The loud snap of skin on skin echoed through the cleared out warehouse.

Burns groaned and squeezed his eyes close tighter. Slowly shaking his head to clear it he carefully opened his swollen eyes to see he was no longer in that god forsaken cell. Only a second later he realized that his hands and legs were no longer bound together but to the arms and legs of a chair.

"Where am I," Burns asked groggily trying to look past the man standing in from of him.

Cach laughed at the beaten man in front of him before saying, "We're back on your home turf. Surely you recognize your own warehouses."

"Why?" Burns head was still ringing from the beating the previous day as he felt the urge to try and rub the tenseness out of his temples.

"Why what? Why did we kidnap you? Why did we bring you here? Well, you know why my men beat you senseless. Or perhaps you want to know why you are still alive and not in jail?"

Groaning, Burns turned his head away from the cocky suit in front of him. The rapid fire questions stung the senses that Burns had regained as he tried to keep his mind on them. "How about we start with why you have me but haven't turned me in. I hear there is a hefty reward for information about me."

Cach moved away letting Burns see the rest of the team clearly for the first time. There were six men not including Cach and all of them were carrying very large automatic weapons.

"Well, let's just say that the reward means nothing to my company. We are already well funded." Cach stopped to gauge Burns reaction to the information that he wasn't going to be sold out for a reward. "We are actually here to offer you a deal." Before he continued, Cach pulled over another chair and straddled it facing Burns.

"What kind of deal," Burns asked suspiciously. To himself he thought of what kind of deal the people who kidnap and beat someone would offer.

Cach pulled himself up to sit straight on the chair and proceeded, "We are prepared to offer you, in exchange for you services, a new identity somewhere far away. Perhaps Thailand if you please. Once there, a sizeable supply of those little girls you love so much will be provided for your entertainment for as long as you please."

This deal's payment had Burns salivating by the time he asked his next question while he tried to restrain the enthusiasm that tempted to overrun his common sense suspiciousness. "What kind of services would I have to provide? A big price means a big job and I'm not exactly Mr. Inconspicuous right now."

"Firstly, the price means very little to my company if this job succeeds. As for the job itself, I'm sure you know of the beautiful Det. Hadley." Burns nodded yes, grinning evilly as he remembered his jaunt through her home. "We simply want you to lure her here."

"Here, why?"

Staring critically over the back of the chair at Burns, Cach replied, "Curiosity killed the cat Mr. Burns, but I suppose it is alright to tell you that she has something we want. Something that is always with her."

"So all I have to do is lure her here and I get a new life." Burns sat contemplating for a few minutes. "What if I decline this offer?"

Cach leaned forward in his chair and stared Burns directly in the eye. Speaking in a quiet voice that gave the impression of danger he said, "Then we would have no use for you, and as you have already experienced, my men have an extreme dislike of you."

Burns thought about the unsaid threat and cleared his throat, "Then I guess I'm happy to take the job. How exactly do you want me to lure her here? I assume you just want her and not all her friends."

"That, Mr. Burns, is quite simple. Simply walk around outside. Stay within the grounds of these warehouses though. When the sun sets come back here. Then we will wait for Hadley to come to us."

Disbelief crossed Burns face. "That plan will never work. How is she supposed to know I am here?"

Smugly Cach leaned back on his chair, "Oh she'll know. Now, do we have a deal?"

Staring at Cach straight in the eye Burns slightly nodded. "Yeah, we do. Now, are you going to untie me so I can go play bait the pig?"

Cach reached behind himself and pulled out a switchblade. Without saying a word he reached over and slit the ropes binding Burns's arms to the chair. Burns' arms came away from the arm rests and he rubbed his raw wrists watching as Cach moved the blade down to his legs.

Cach closed the knife and stood up. Holding out his hand to Burns he said, "Well, we should get to work then. By tonight we will have what we want, and you will have what you want."

The corner of Burns' mouth curved up in a wicked grin as he took Cach's hand and pulled himself out of the chair. "I guess I should get going then." Without waiting for a response from Cach, Burns turned and walked calmly out of the warehouse into the late morning sun.

From behind Cach one of the gunmen approached his boss. "Just what the hell was that?" Anger clouded his voice as he pulled Cach around by the shoulder regardless if their respective ranks.

"Nothing Matt. Just the company making another deal with the devil."

"Nothing! What do you mean, 'nothing'? There is no way the company would authorize a deal like that." Matt was beyond angry. The thought of that child raping murderer being supplied with victims just for his help was disgusting.

Smirking at the angry man, Cach replied, "That's right. They wouldn't. This Burns will be dead before he leaves the city. The company has declared him expendable. They don't even want him for Section X-T."

"Well, that just makes my day," Matt said as he turned back to his men. "So, how we going to settle this? Straws, I take it."

Cach ignored the men behind him as he watched the door that Burns had left through. Soon, he thought to himself. Soon.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka trilled at Cass. She was definitely ready to hunt despite her melancholy music. Vek'rin'ka watched Cass as she stood and set her player down. Bringing his arm out from behind him he showed Cass her new vest.

Cass's eyes widened when she saw her old vest. Thick leather pieces had been tied to the original shoulder straps. Reaching out to touch it Cass felt the same material that made the guards on Vek'rin'ka's wrists. Firm leather also covered the entire front of the vest. Down the center of the vest were markings branded into the hide. Looking closer and then back up at Vek'rin'ka for a hint at what they meant Cass recognized them from the markings on Vek'rin'ka's mask.

Gently Cass ran her fingers over the indented and discolored markings. "What is it?"

Vek'rin'ka pointed the markings on the vest and then to his own mask. "Hunter of Bad Bloods."

Cass looked back down at the altered vest. Along with the shoulder guards and front plate additions, the bottom had been extended to provide cover down to her legs. The cover was attached to both the front and back with an overlapping slit on each side.

Overall the garment looked crude, like something out of an eight grade home economics class. Still, if it was effective at preventing injury then the aesthetics didn't really matter. The only question left was how hot the normally stifling vest would be with all the extra material.

Taking the vest from Vek'rin'ka Cass told him, "I'll be right back." Stepping into the bedroom Cass pulled off the thick t-shirt that she had been wearing and pulled a thin white undershirt on. Next she pulled open the Velcro on the side of the vest and slipped it over her head. Closing the Velcro around her, Cass walked back out to Vek'rin'ka. She hoped that the t-shirt would allow her to stay cool enough while still preventing the chaffing that the damn vests were notorious for.

Vek'rin'ka looked at the vest as Cass settled it on herself. He walked around her adjusting a bit here and there. Finally satisfied that the main piece was properly fitted Vek'rin'ka stepped back and looked at Cass as she continued to fidget with the stiff shoulder pads. Next he pulled the simple wrist guards out of one of the pouches on his belt. They were simple, lacking even a single snap close and having to be tied with thinly cut bindings.

Cass stopped worrying the vest when Vek'rin'ka held his hand out to her. In his other hand was a small bundle. Walking up to him, Cass let Vek'rin'ka take one of her wrists.

Vek'rin'ka took Cass's wrist and pulled the guard over her hand, still marveling at how delicate it appeared. Turning the ties to the back of her wrist Vek'rin'ka then tightened the lacings and tied it off. He repeated with Cass's other wrist and then let her examine the pieces.

Cass held them up and looked at them. They covered from her wrist to three-quarters of the way to her elbow. They laced up like a shoe over the top of her arm and on the underside was more of Vek'rin'ka's writing.

Not waiting for Cass to ask this time, Vek'rin'ka pointed to one of her wrists, "_M-di'h'dlak._ Say 'no fear'." He waited while Cass studied the guard a little more before pointing to the other wrist, "_M-di H'chak._ Say 'no mercy'."

Finally Cass smiled and said, "And 'no mercy' is exactly what the bastard is going to get."

"We leave for hunt now," Vek'rin'ka growled approvingly.

Cass pulled another large t-shirt over the vest and let it hang down covering the whole vest. It was hot but there was nothing she could do about that other than get to Burns fast and kill him. She left the wrist guards alone. There were enough younger people who wore similar garments nowadays that they wouldn't attract too much attention.

"About time," was Cass's response to Vek'rin'ka with another confident smile. She tucked the handgun from her house into the waist band of her jeans under her t-shirt. Picking up the shotgun she knew she would not be able to carry it through the lobby to her truck without arousing suspicion. Vek'rin'ka solved her unspoken dilemma by taking the weapon and attaching it to his back armor plating somehow.

"Vek'rin'ka take to transport," he assured Cass. "We go now." He then, not too subtly, nudged Cass to the door. Taking the hint, Cass grabbed her keys off the table and turned back to Vek'rin'ka to tell him she'd be right down only to find him already gone. Shaking her head at his impatience, and amazed by his stealth she left the room and the hotel for the last time.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka waited near the vehicle for Cass to come down. He had no luck finding any trace of the _ooman_ Bad Blood on his last sweep through the city, but his instinct called him back to the storage buildings. Cass had told him that the _tarei'hsan_ had owned the land. In his experience Bad Bloods preferred to stay near known territory and he couldn't stop himself from wanting to stay near there as well.

Finally, Vek'rin'ka picked up Cass's scent approaching the 'truck.' When she got there he took the shotgun off his back and set it in the cargo area of the vehicle before anyone else saw it materialize out of nothing. Without saying a word, Cass picked up her weapon and hid it behind the seat in the cab.

"So, where do we start," Cass questioned checking the area to make sure no one would hear them talking.

"Where Cass think Bad Blood go?"

"Well, normally I would say the coward would have run. But his credit cards have been flagged and his accounts frozen so unless he has a large stash of cash somewhere he'll still be in town." Cass paused before continuing, "They like to return to the scene of the crime, but the warehouse block is under surveillance just incase that happens."

Vek'rin'ka interrupted Cass then, "No other Arbitrators at storage place."

"What," was Cass's immediate response.

"No other Arbitrators," Vek'rin'ka repeated.

"There's something wrong over there then. Vek that is the first place we're going to check."

"Good Cass," Vek'rin'ka said, thankful that he wasn't the only one that was attracted to the same place. The only thing that bothered him is that Cass said there were supposed to be other Arbitrators guarding the place. Vek'rin'ka had not seen any other _oomans_ around in the times that he had scouted the area. The suspicion that this hunt was turning into a trap nagged at his mind.

In truth, it was no matter. Cass would hunt the Bad Blood Burns and if the _oomans_ had set a trap then they would die as well. After all, knowing it's a trap is the first step in evading it.

XXXXX

Al'brk'vix watched the two figures down on the ground. Both Vek'rin'ka and the _ooman_ were armed and Vek'rin'ka had all his _'awu'asa_ on. They were going hunting and Al'brk'vix was happy to follow them. The first chance he got, he was going to set his plan in motion. First the _ooman_ would be dealt with, just to see the reaction from the Arbitrator when he finds her body, broken by Al'brk'vix's own hands. Today was the day of Al'brk'vix's destiny.


	18. Two Down

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Eighteen: Two Down

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count:** 5487

Only the wind could be heard through the seemingly deserted building. A soft rustling in the rafters was heard when the door was flung open. Feeling rather smug, Burns sauntered in knowing that soon he would be able to face the bitch of a cop that had caused him so much grief as of late. Underneath it all was the anticipation of getting to play with a new little girl when this was all over.

Burns knew that there were five snipers above him and he couldn't feel safer, though he didn't know that any or all of them would take him out if so ordered without regret. Cach and his lackey were somewhere in the building but Burns knew they wouldn't reveal themselves until Hadley showed up. He settled himself down on the ground to wait, passing the time by cleaning his knife. The old adage went, 'Never bring a knife to a gun fight', but Burns thought there were plenty of other guns on his side. Besides, he wanted to get up close and personal.

XXXXX

The drive to the warehouse lot seemed to take far too long for Cass. The miles trickled by though it was past the main rush hour. The sun was just setting behind the cityscape, sending a golden haze over the city. Nervous energy vibrated through Cass as she parked the truck a block away from the Burns Shipping lot.

This is it, Cass thought, as she gripped the shotgun between her hands. Sitting in the truck she felt the first doubt about what she was doing. The cop in her yelled at her that killing Burns was wrong, the maternal cried for revenge. Her sudden indecision made her hesitate before she finally got out of the truck and slammed the door, the maternal finally winning the fight of conscience.

Vek'rin'ka was right there waiting for her; Cass could feel his prescence even without looking for his blurry outline. A heavy hand on her shoulder told her that he was waiting only for her. She took a deep breath and started toward the fence surrounding her target. Sticking to the shadows cast by the nearly set sun, she was able to see that Vek'rin'ka had indeed been correct. There were no cops guarding the area. Cass could only wonder why that detail had been pulled before she and Vek'rin'ka were brought up short by the fence.

Vek'rin'ka knew that he could jump over the fence with little effort but Cass would never make it. He pulled Cass back from the chain link and extended his invisible _ki'cti-pa_. The twin blades made two clean cuts through the metal of the fence.

"Nice," Cass enthused quietly as she pushed her way through the opening. Vek'rin'ka followed closely behind, pulling the fence back so the hole would not be discovered readily.

Vek'rin'ka followed Cass as she stalked through the shadows to the storehouse that he had pulled the small pup out of all those nights ago. He could smell the _ooman_ Bad Blood inside by there were more. The Bad Blood wasn't alone. Quickly, Vek'rin'ka grabbed Cass and pulled her into him. Cass was about to protest when she heard a chuffing sound coming from behind Vek's mask. His chest rose and fell sharply as Cass finally understood that he was scenting the air.

"What is it," she asked quietly as she eased out of Vek's grip.

Stopping his olfactory investigation, Vek'rin'ka continued to scan the area while he responded. "Bad Blood here." He growled and continued, "Other male here, Ka'sh. More _oomans."_

"What do we do?" The uncertainty rushed up in Cass again, thinking about what would happen if she killed Burns in front of witnesses.

"Hunt."

Cass was stunned temporarily. "I can't kill them."

"Cass hunt Bad Blood. I hunt others."

"Do you have to kill them?"

"Hunter's Path. _Oomans_ hunt yautja, yautja not allow." Vek'rin'ka waited for Cass to tell him she understood but when she didn't he could not help but feel disappointed. Instead of trying to explain why further he simply told her, "Law of yautja."

Cass sighed and looked back up at Vek'rin'ka. She had briefly thought about what she could do to stop him but couldn't come up with anything. Even reporting what she knew to whoever handled these kinds of reports didn't seem right after the comfort Vek had given her. "So how do we handle this?"

Vek'rin'ka was relieved after his brief concern that Cass would pull out of this hunt and leave the Bad Blood when he was so close. "You go in on ground. I go in from up," he said as he decloaked. He looked down at Cass with concern, though it was hidden behind his mask. The hunt had just gotten more dangerous than he had anticipated. "Watch behind," he said as he patted her shoulder.

Cass watched him as he rounded the corner of the building before turning and continuing to the door. She approached cautiously while slinging the shot gun over her shoulder. She pulled the handgun out of her holster and crept toward the side door. Taking a position she waited what she thought was long enough for Vek'rin'ka to get to the roof then she carefully nudged the door open with the muzzle of her gun.

The nervous energy continued to surge through her as she quickly slipped through the door. She grabbed it before it could close behind her and eased it closed herself. She crouch walked up to a shelving unit concealing herself behind one of the dusty packing crates.

Burns was sitting on the floor at the center of the warehouse with his back to Cass but she was so close to her goal that she pushed herself forward. The pistol was held firmly in front of her in a tight two-handed grip. She aimed straight down the barrel at Burns' head as she slowly crept up behind him.

Cass was sure that she had not made any noise but she was still ten feet away form Burns when he turned to her. He had a cold, vicious smile on his face that didn't waver in the least as he looked right back down that same barrel.

"Hello detective," he sneered. "We were expecting you sooner."

"We?" Cass didn't like that statement. Vek was right, Burns wasn't alone. "I take it that that arsehole Cach is here too."

Suddenly Cass felt hands grab her from behind and the unmistakable coldness of a gun pressed to the back of her skull.

"Hello Cassandra," Cach's voice was familiar but held a sinister note that Cass had not heard before. "We've been waiting for you. Please drop the gun." The click of the gun's safety reinforced the command. Cass let go of her own weapon with one hand and clicked her own safety on before crouching down and dropping the weapon. The stranger partnered with Cach quickly kicked it back the way Cass had come, well out of her reach if she dove for it. For now the left the shotgun slung over her shoulder, but were keeping a tight grip on her arms, negating its use anyway.

"So where is your friend," Cach hissed at Cass as she stood back up.

Cass froze not knowing how to react to the men knowing about Vek'rin'ka. Finally she stammered, "Wha…what friend?"

Ignoring Cass, Cach started to look around him. Seeing nothing he turned back to Cass, "Looks like he's shy. Should we call him out?"

"Do what you want, I don't know what you're talking about," Cass growled defiantly.

Cach then threw one of his arms around Cass keeping his gun pointed at her head, making sure it could be seen from as many angles as possible. "Hey! Alien! Come on out, or I blow the brains out of your pet here."

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka had made his way up to the roof and slipped back in through the same access hatch that he had used the first time he had entered this building. From his vantage point he could see Cass stalking up to an _ooman_ in the center of the building. Behind her, though, were two others, both carrying weapons. Vek'rin'ka suppressed his growl and give away his position to the other _oomans_ he knew were in the building.

The tricky little things didn't show up on the infrared setting on his mask and the criss-crossing supports for the roof made using the _oomans'_ visible light spectrum just as useless. Vek'rin'ka moved silently away from the open hatch and switched the artificial eyes of his mask to its bioelectric setting. One the floor he saw Cass and the three other _oomans_. Two of them were coming up behind Cass and Vek'rin'ka was about to jump down to deal with them when he saw a flicker out of the corner of his vision. He froze and studied where the flicker had come from. Moving closer he saw first one, then three _oomans_.

The concealed _oomans _were spread out through the very rafters Vek'rin'ka stalked on, setting an ambush he had almost walked into. Staying cloaked, he carefully crept up to the closest _ooman_ and savored the moment before the kill. From his new position, Vek'rin'ka could see two additional _oomans_, bringing the total in the supports to five. Down below he saw the two _oomans_ grab Cass from behind and force her to put her small burner down.

Vek'rin'ka didn't have much time to figure out how to remove all the _oomans_ in the rafters before the Ka'sh male yelled out. It was obviously a challenge to Vek'rin'ka and he was not about to disappoint the arrogant little _ooman_. More importantly, the male had once again placed his hands on Cass and threatened her life and such disrespect would not go unpunished.

The little _ooman lying _near Vek'rin'ka was completely unaware of his presence until he decloaked and grabbed the long hair trailing out from under the hat he was wearing. The startled croak have barely left the dead man's throat before Vek'rin'ka slid his _ki'cti-pa _through his prey's neck and severed the head.

Vek'rin'ka quickly left the body where it was, holding his bloody trophy and withdrew his smart disc. Taking a sight on two of the other _oomans_ that had foolishly selected hiding spots nearly parallel to each other, Vek'rin'ka keyed the disc for those two. The disc's mechanical whine was the only warning for the two men that they were staring death in the face and seeing nothing.

The first man didn't have a chance to dodge out of the disc's way, not that he had anywhere to dodge to. Seconds after being released from Vek'rin'ka's hand, the disc sliced cleanly through his neck. The head and body fell out of the rafters even as the disc flew towards the second man.

Seeing his partner decapitated in the periphery of his vision, the second man pushed himself up to find another spot to hide, still assuming that his thermal suit would hide him from the alien predator's vision. He was barely vertical on the I-beam that had been his perch when the black disc flew by with a hum. He watched it keep going and didn't look down until he felt his shirt becoming tacky. The cut had been so clean and fast that he hadn't felt it. The man gurgled in disbelief as he watched his entrails slip from the slice in his abdomen. He tried vainly to hold them in with his one hand while the other sought grip on the iron struts for support as he tried to get away. The attempt was futile as he slipped on his own spilled blood and he lost his balance. He fell backwards off the rafter, his one hand still cradling his exposed intestines while the other scrambled frantically for something to stop his fall.

The man found no purchase to save himself and screamed as the underside of the beam became visible. The cry was silenced with a wet thud as his body joined that of his teammate on the concrete floor of the warehouse.

Vek'rin'ka had not waited to watch the second male die or his disc to return before setting his laser sights on one of the two remaining snipers. The plasmacaster mounted on his shoulder armed and synced with the laser.

The human sighted had watched stunned as two of his comrades fell to the floor below. One of the men had been missing his head. Well, it wasn't really missing since it fell with the body, it was just not attached to it. The other man that had fallen had screamed and as he lay on the ground now his entire front was covered in the bright red of his blood. It was then that he noticed the three red dots slowly making their way up his gun towards his body. His head snapped up in the direction that the lights were coming from and saw the creature.

Vek'rin'ka was crouched on a horizontal support in full view of his target. The _ooman_ saw him and in that instant he triggered his caster. From the barrel raced a blue-white ball of superheated gas straight into the _ooman's_ chest. The recoil from the weapon caused Vek'rin'ka to tighten his grip on the support as his fourth kill fell from his perch.

Vek'rin'ka reengaged his cloak and quickly made his way over to the last _ooman_ ambusher. He was ten _noks_ away when he turned the camouflage off and pulled out his spear. Approaching swiftly from the side, Vek'rin'ka gave the _ooman_ enough of a warning growl for it to turn and raise its weapon. The _ooman_ didn't have time enough to fire its burner before Vek'rin'ka carefully swung his_ ki'its-pa_ around in the close confines of the rafters. The move severed the man's arm and cut through the weapon.

The hand and the piece of the weapon it had been holding clattered to the ground. The man dropped the other half of the now useless weapon and grabbed the stump that now spurted blood with each of his rapid heart beats. His eyes were wide with shock and his mouth opened in a silent scream as Vek'rin'ka brought the _ki'its-pa_ around again. For the killing blow he thrust the bladed end through the man's chest and was able to see it exit his back as the man keeled forward and tried to clutch the stave.

It took less than two heartbeats for the last of the ambush team to die on the end of Vek'rin'ka's staff. Once he was dead Vek'rin'ka shook the body off and let it fall to the ground to join the rest of its teammates. The _ooman's_ challenge had angered him and the threat to Cass had pushed him far too close to the edge of reckless violence. Killing the five _oomans_ had given him both time to collect himself and prevent an attack that could kill him or Cass.

Now, Vek'rin'ka circled around the building so that he was in front of the four _oomans_ on the floor. When he was sure that he wouldn't accidentally land on Cass, he jumped. Unlike the bodies that he had let drop to the floor, Vek'rin'ka sailed gracefully through the air and when he landed he let his knees absorb the four story landing.

Rising up to stand at his full height Vek'rin'ka let loose a roar that rattled the windows so far above him.

XXXXX

Burns stared at the bloody bodies that were laying across the floor of his warehouse. He had never seen so much blood, not even in his military days. Now he had started to figure out that Cach's offer may not have been too great. For the first time since he had run across his first little playmate he felt he may not get out of this alive.

Suddenly there was a whoosh of air behind him and a deafening roar. He froze on the spot, fearing even to breath. He was Cach's lackey back away, his gaze fixed on something behind Burns. Slowly he turned to face the new threat.

XXXXX

Cass's fear evaporated when she saw Vek'rin'ka jump down behind Burns. She suspected he was furious, and the loudest roar she had ever heard confirmed it. When she felt the second man release her she knew it was time to move. Cach had tightened his grip on her and was using her as a shield but the gun that had so assuredly been pressed against her head before was gone. She knew it was still there, but she had to gamble that she would be able to pull off what she needed to.

Cass clasped her hands in front of her just as Vek knocked Burns away, backhanding him towards the side door Cass entered through. That was when Cass saw Cach's gun come from behind her and point at Vek. Taking the moment she extended her arms and brought them back, sending her reinforced elbow into Cach's kidney.

Cach wheezed from the blow and hunched forward, too late to absorb the impact. Seconds later, Cach's pain was joined by a broken nose as Cass used her head and solidly head butted him. Without thinking Cach let go of Cass to bring a hand to his face.

Fluidly, Cass spun around and unloaded a powerful right hook into Cach's abused nose. Blood sprayed her as he grunted in surprise. Now that Cach was thoroughly dazed Cass turned her attention back to Burns, leaving Vek to deal with Cach.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka didn't wait for the Bad Blood _ooman_ to finish turning around before batting him away. He was Cass's prey, but still in the way. After he was removed, he saw Cass do an admirable job of extricating herself from Ka'sh's grip. She looked at Vek'rin'ka before taking off after the fleeing Bad Blood. Vek'rin'ka turned his attention back his own two targets. Ka'sh was doubled over in pain as Vek'rin'ka marched up to him. Unable to fight right now, Vek'rin'ka picked Ka'sh up by his neck and threw him to the side.

The hunter's focus turned to the rattled _ooman_ backing away. This one was armed but seemed too scared to remember he held a weapon. Vek'rin'ka stalked up to the _ooman_ and threw a punch to its face. He felt the bone crumple under his fist with the impact and the _ooman's_ head snapped back as he stumbled backwards.

Again, Vek'rin'ka stepped up to the dazed _ooman_ and threw a punch to the other side of the _ooman's_ head. Already off balance, the _ooman_ spun with the force of the blow. Vek'rin'ka was walking up behind his prey when it must have finally noticed the burner that was hanging from its shoulder.

When the _ooman_ finished its uncontrolled spin it had grabbed its weapon and was leveling it at Vek'rin'ka. Vek'rin'ka snorted in contempt at the _ooman_ as he used his _ki'cti-pa _to cut the _ooman's_ arm. It screamed as its other hand dropped its grip on the weapon to hold its arm. It squealed in pain as it backed away from the alien hunter.

Finished playing with the prey, Vek'rin'ka measured his strike and in a lightening flash slashed at the _ooman_ with his newly drawn _ki'its-pa_. It's mouth opened again, though whether it was in shock or to scream it didn't matter. No sound escaped it except for the gurgling of the blood in its throat as it tried desperately to breath.

The dying _ooman_ finally fell into the crimson pool forming at its feet. Vek'rin'ka picked up the body by the fur on the top of its head and prepared to take his trophy when he heard one of the _ooman_ burners discharge. The noise was accompanied by a hot pain searing his right arm.

Vek'rin'ka spun, wretching the head in his hand from its body with a sickeningly wet tearing sound, leaving his _ki'its-pa_ embedded in the body. He spotted Ka'sh with a small burner pointed at him. Vek'rin'ka flared his mandibles as far as his mask would allow and howled at the _ooman_ male. Another projectile hit him and bounced off his shoulder guard. Without waiting for a third hit her charged the brazen _ooman_.

XXXXX

This was not part of the plan, Burns thought as he ducked behind a row of shelves. Hearing running steps behind him, Burns hoped it wasn't the creature. Wishing he had more than just a knife on him, Burns continued to run along the length of the shelves. Reaching the end he ducked behind another set and taking a moment to catch his breath he peered around the corner. He could see Cass just entering the aisle.

XXXXX

Cass gripped her shotgun firmly and aimed it down the aisle Burns had disappeared into. She slowed down, expecting at any second Burns to jump out and start shooting at her. The ambush hadn't happened when she was almost to the end and Cass began to wonder if there was a trap waiting for her. Crouching low she peered under the lowest shelf, raised six inches off the ground.

She saw two feet standing on the other side of the shelf waiting, undoubtedly for her. She didn't know what kind of weapons Burns would have on him but she felt it would be a better idea not to walk head first into whatever trap Burns had set.

Burns was on the far side of the unit, not at the end, so Cass felt sure he would not leave his hiding place to check on her progress. Carefully and quietly Cass backed up until she came to an opening among the things that were stored on the shelf. Here she would be able to cross the aisle and get behind Burns. As she stepped onto the lowest shelf, ducking under the next one, she worried that Burns would hear her shoes on the metal plating.

Slowing down even more to cross the ten foot wide shelf Cass steadied her aim and peaked around a container into the next aisle. At the end, Burns crouched with his back to her waiting for Cass to come around the corner s he could ambush her. Keeping up the stealth of her approach Cass stepped off the shelf and crept up to Burns. She held her breath for the last feet, more out of anxiousness than an attempt to conceal her approach.

Burns didn't suspect anything until Cass tapped him just behind the ear with her shotgun. Burns could not believe that she had gotten behind him.

"Don't more a muscle," Cass said through grit teeth. Her finger tightened on the trigger, begging to end the life of the miserable wretch in front of her. Staring at the back of Burns' head, Cass's mind whirled. The largest part of her screamed to finish this, but the small part that she thought she had crushed stalled her. Shooting burns in the back would not be justice, it said.

Taking a shaky breath Cass told Burns, "Get up and walk." The near growl startled Cass almost as much as it startled Burns. Cass didn't know what to do with him anymore. Now that she had him she hesitated to pull the trigger. She needed to see Vek she decided. He'd be able to help her she though, ignoring his obvious bias.

Burns was shaky as he walked in front of Cass to the end of the shelf. He admitted to himself that he really didn't want to face that…creature. It scared the hell out of him. Mostly though, he was angry that he had allowed the female detective to sneak up on him. As they came out from between the shelves Burns saw the answer to his problem.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka glided over the floor of the warehouse as if he were on wings. The _ooman's_ one hand held his burner shakily as it tried to rise from the floor. It's other arm dangled uselessly, broken, with the collarbone exposed through its coverings. The forearm was also bent at an unnatural joint.

Vek'rin'ka had left his _ki'its-pa_ imbedded in the last _ooman_, leaving him with his _ki'cti-pa_ and his own burner. With the laser sight solidly on his target Vek'rin'ka pulled Ka'sh to his feet as soon as his hand enclosed the slender throat.

When Ka'sh was solidly on his feet Vek'rin'ka released his throat and took a step back. He studied the shocked _ooman_ with skepticism. It was small and weak, its bones broke so easily. Furthermore, it was no longer arrogant, it reeked of fear.

Growling deeply, "No one touches her, she is mine." Vek'rin'ka didn't reflect on how right these words felt, or how inappropriate there were. What mattered now was how his prey was going to react. Its burner was held unsteady in its uninjured hand, pointing at Vek'rin'ka, but using burners was not how Vek'rin'ka wanted to take this trophy.

While waiting for Ka'sh to make the first move Vek'rin'ka scanned him, checking to see if he had any more weapons. There was a knife strapped to one of his legs, small by Vek'rin'ka's standards, but it was a blade. The _ooman_ before him hadn't moved, while Vek'rin'ka looked him over.

Suddenly, Vek'rin'ka lunged forward while Ka'sh was still in his daze. The gun that had been held in his hand was quickly removed and Ka'sh watched as Vek'rin'ka crushed the metal in his hand. The warped metal dropped to the ground with a hollow crack.

Never once did Vek'rin'ka take his eyes off of Ka'sh, challenging him to attack. The man stood before the powerful Arbitrator dumbfounded. His plan had fallen apart and now he would have to face the alien hunter himself.

Vek'rin'ka grew annoyed with waiting for Ka'sh to take out his knife. He grabbed the man and used his wrist blades to shred the material covering the knife. With a smooth swiftness he pulled the blade out of its sheath and thrust it into Cach's hand.

Cach balked at the turn of events. He was not prepared to fight the extra-terrestrial hunter. Yet here he was, with only a combat knife as a weapon. With no other options left but to fight Cach darted to the side, striking out at the monstrosity.

Vek'rin'ka spun to the left sending a wicked hook into Cach's arm. Jarred by the force of the punch Cach dropped the knife. He grew nauseous as he heard it clatter to the ground. He rolled back to it, laying at Vek'rin'ka's feet.

With the knife securely in hand, Cach tried desperately to hamstring his opponent. The actions only left Vek'rin'ka with a clear opening to kick the bloody man square in the chest.

Cach was sent flying ten feet across the floor. He slid to a stop and Vek'rin'ka was instantly upon him. His talons tore into the flesh around Cach's throat as he dragged the man up. With ki'cti-pa raised to rip through the ooman's chest Vek'rin'ka sees Cach's last attempts to save his own skin.

The knife came in a wild arc, the man wielding it crazed with fear. Vek'rin'ka dropped the shoulder that wasn't bearing the weight of the man inadvertently cutting two shallow lines in the man's chest down to his abdomen. With a screech, Cach loosened his already sweaty grip on the knife and as it glanced off Vek'rin'ka's shoulder plate, he lost his grip entirely on it.

The blade sailed across the room before it skittered to a stop in front of a captive Burns, with Cass at his back. Neither hunter nor prey noticed the two humans, locked into battle as they were. Vek'rin'ka grabbed Cach's empty hand and quickly snapped it backwards.

Cach howled again as the bones splintered at his wrist. Vek'rin'ka pulled him closer then and Cach could smell his bitter, oily scent as Vek'rin'ka stared him down. The wrist blades were replaced over Cach's heart as Vek'rin'ka stared into his eyes.

Calm, collected anger replaced the rage Vek'rin'ka had felt when he entered this battle. The old teaching of never hating your prey was reasserting itself.

"What Way'lnd want?" Vek'rin'ka spoke in English loosening his hold ever so slightly so Cach could speak.

Cradling his broken wrist, Cach stared in abject horror, unable to respond. A shake from Vek'rin'ka loosened his tongue enough for him to stammer, "You…your technology. The…they want the weapons." Vek'rin'ka growled lowly, the sound like thunder between the two. His grip closed again on the thin neck, barely avoiding crushing the windpipe.

With one arm, Vek'rin'ka lifted Cach over his head. A deafening roar ripped from his throat, shaking windows and dislodging dust from the rafters. Cach hung, wincing at the noise and the ringing in his ears that stayed after the roar subsided. It was because of that, that Cach didn't hear what Vek'rin'ka said next.

"They never get it," Vek'rin'ka paused only to growl again, and finished, "Ka'sh never get Ka's. Mine."

Having fought and defeated Cach, Vek'rin'ka plunged his ki'cti-pa through the yielding chest. Cach grappled at the arm that was now flush with his flesh. His struggle didn't last long as blood started to drip from his mouth and his eyes glazed. Vek'rin'ka thrust his fist forward once more, ensuring that the ooman on his blades was dead.

Lowering the body to the ground, Vek'rin'ka had not yet removed his blades before he heard a yelp. He whipped around towards the sound. He saw Ka's there, falling to the ground, with shock written across her face. Before her was the Bad Blood Burns. Held in his hand was the knife Cach had thrown.

XXXXX

Cass had Burns right in her sights as they came out into the open. She watched Vek in awe, distracted from Burns as he first crippled then killed Cach. She had seen death before, but that was not what caused her to stop.

When Vek had told Cach that he would never have Cass she felt safe once more. It was a feeling she had only gotten rarely in her life. First with her father, long lost to her. Then with Gerold, the first partner she could really say she trusted her life to. Now, she found in Vek someone who would watch her back despite their differences.

Burns sensed the gun lower slightly as both his and Cass's attention was pulled over to the fight in the center of the warehouse. Burns recovered first and was also the first to notice the knife just in front of him. When the creature made his kill, Burns dove for the blade.

Burns curled his fingers around the knife's handle and rolled. As he came up he spun on his knees. Using his momentum he thrust the knife deep into Cass's thigh.

Pain lanced up Cass's leg as Burns twisted the steel in her leg. The sound of her own yelp of pain brought her mind back to what she needed to do. Even as her leg crumpled under her she levelled the shotgun at Burns' chest and fired.

Blood splattered Cass's face and vest, though she didn't take heed of it. She pulled the trigger a second time. The slug found its home in Burns' head before it exited again, exploding out the back of his skull. Bright red gore laced with broken pieces of bone and brain matter hit the ground before Burns even finished falling over.

Cass slumped to the ground, the shotgun falling from her hands. In only a matter of moments she was relieved that it was finally over and horrified at what she had done. She looked at Vek, the one who had urged her down this path, and saw him running towards her. Calmness settled over her, knowing that her friend would help. She waited for him to come to her.

The calmness was broken when two hands grabbed her and pulled her off the floor.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka saw Al'brk'vix drop from the shelves just behind Cass. The rage returned as he altered his course to run by the body his ki'its-pa was still embedded in. There was no way that he would allow the tarei'hsan Bad Blood harm her. Al'brk'vix would die today by his blade. The spear tip ripped out of the dead ooman as Vek'rin'ka ran by, grabbing it without slowing.

"What a nice little pet," Al'brk'vix laughed as he threw Cass over his shoulder. Vek'rin'ka didn't stop running at knowing that the Bad Blood was very fleet of foot. Al'brk'vix turned for the door, hitting it and barrelling out into the service way. He didn't look back, knowing the Arbitrator would be pursuing him. He poured every bit of energy into running with his prize.


	19. One to Go

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Nineteen: One to Go

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count: **4091

Cass knew she was in trouble, though she could not fully appreciate the gravity of the danger she was in. A haze had begun to descend on her mind as the adrenaline ran out. Vek'rin'ka had been coming to her, coming to help her. Now another hunter, another yautja, was holding her and running away from Vek'rin'ka.

Punch him! Kick him! Fight, Cass's mind screamed at her. This hunter was not Vek'rin'ka, not a friend. This was a hunter who killed people, _oomans_ Vek'rin'ka called them. Cass swam in half-formed thoughts as the other hunter carried her away from her friend.

Then the adrenaline kicked in again and her mind sharpened. This was not just any hunter. This was Vek'rin'ka's Bad Blood, the one who had raped and killed a female of his kind. Cold fear froze Cass for only a moment. She had to get away, free herself.

Cass kicked, she screamed with everything she had. Her fists rained down helplessly on the hunter's armored back. The only thing that accomplished was making the hunter growl. The sound shook his entire body and vibrated into Cass. When she still didn't stop her fighting Al'brk'vix shifted his grip up her wounded leg and squeezed.

Cass's body tensed as she screamed long and loud. Al'brk'vix kept squeezing the wound until she stopped fighting and hung limp over his shoulder. When she was finally quiet Al'brk'vix accelerated to a speed that he could hold for hours and easily outdistance the Arbitrator.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka reached the spot Al'brk'vix had grabbed Cass seconds after they had gotten out of the building. His eyes flicked to the knife covered in Cass's blood as he approached. It only took a second for Vek'rin'ka to decide to scoop it up. Cass would need a trophy from this kill no matter how different their cultures were. Without slowing he kicked the blade up into his hand.

The door flew off its hinges and into the adjacent building when Vek'rin'ka hit it. His temper had hit its end and nothing would keep him from killing the Bad Blood that dared to harm what was his. He had had little success tracking Al'brk'vix so far on this planet, but nothing could obscure Cass's scent from him. As unfortunate as it was, the fact that she was bleeding helped him track her. He turned north and for a while was able to follow the blood trail on the ground.

As Vek'rin'ka left the _ooman_ city behind the trail began to become less and less visible. Vek'rin'ka wondered at the _ooman's_ resilience that Cass was already beginning to stop bleeding. Vek'rin'ka switched from tracking her primarily by sight trailing the blood to air scenting for her.

The scent cone led Vek'rin'ka into the densely vegetated swamp that surrounded the city. He had to slow down to be sure of his footing on the untrustworthy ground. He was however rewarded occasionally with the sunken impression of a yautja footprint. The scent was getting stronger and Vek'rin'ka knew he was getting closer.

XXXXX

Far ahead of Vek'rin'ka, after making several false trails, Al'brk'vix found a small dry patch of grass surrounded by a grove of tall trees. As he felt Cass beginning to come out of her pain induced faint, Al'brk'vix stopped near the edge of the clearing. Checking it for possible enemies, namely Vek'rin'ka, Al'brk'vix dropped Cass on the soggy ground.

Once satisfied that the area is safe he turned back to Cass. She had woken up and once she saw him she tried to back away. She was gibbering in her own primitive language, her deformed mouth twisting as unintelligible sounds came from it. Al'brk'vix trilled at her stiff movements anyway, knowing there was no way for her to escape him. The scent of her fear was thick even in the fetid air and Al'brk'vix grew even more excited.

Reaching out, Al'brk'vix grabbed her by a foot to drag her back to him. Cass kicked out at him with her free foot. The hit only connected with a padded knee and the only damage done was a bruise on Cass's foot and an ache all the way up her shin.

The hunter growled at Cass but the translator that Vek'rin'ka had given her made no sense of any of it. Cass kicked again and screamed as the Bad Blood loomed over her on the ground. When he leaned in closer Cass started to punch him. They were pathetic hits, weakened by her panic and never aimed anywhere that would do any significant damage.

Al'brk'vix watched the display slightly amused, wondering why a renowned Arbitrator would protect such a pathetic creature. He let go of her foot to grab her hands and pin them over her head. Using his body, he pinned her legs down and held her completely immobile.

With Cass pinned under him Al'brk'vix felt her. She was small and his body covered hers completely. By now the _ooman_ had been reduced to whimpered protests in her nonsense language. She was undoubtedly pleading for her life, a useless gesture.

Still, before he killed her, Al'brk'vix wanted to know why Vek'rin'ka would protect her like a Clan female. The Arbitrator had even provided crude armor for her to hunt in. Snorting in disgust, Al'brk'vix used his free hand to strip the armored top from the female. As the leather covering came off so did the thin cloth covering under it. He threw the tattered garments away and stared at the two mounds of flesh being held captive by yet another layer of fabric.

Al'brk'vix ripped this off as well to reveal two large, soft milk glands. The ones on this small female rivaled the size of most yautja females though, as he touched them will a clawed hand, they were not as firm. Continuing his examination of the female, who had not truly given up her struggle for freedom, he wondered if that was where the similarities ended.

Shifting his body lower, not quite stretching out over Cass, he had to use a blade from his belt to cut through the leg coverings. Revealed there was another thin layer and Al'brk'vix dared to expect another close approximation of a female yautja. The blade easily slid through the weak material to reveal that there was indeed an opening similar to the females of Al'brk'vix's own kind.

Cass fought hard, trying to buck Al'brk'vix off of her. Never had she seen anyone so balanced as him using only one had to stay up. His weight on her legs was incredible and she could do little more than flex her ankles. He was just too heavy to move but that wouldn't stop her from trying. Then, as Cass fought she understood just what the large alien was doing, not having connected it to what Vek'rin'ka had said his original crime was. This creature was going to rape her too, probably kill her.

With renewed vigour Cass fought as her clothes were stripped from her. There was no question in her mind what the Bad Blood intended to do. She started screaming again, no longer trying to beg her way out of the clutches of this alien psycho. Now she yelled at him and demanded to be released.

"Let go, you goddamn son of a bitch, before I tear your dick and feed it to you," Cass screamed in the alien's face. The alien didn't seem to comprehend what she had said and continued what he was doing. Cass threw several more threats at Al'brk'vix. She did not know if he had the anatomy to do the things that she threatened, but she suspected that the loincloth was not just a fashion statement. Even if the screaming did nothing to dissuade the Bad Blood, it help build Cass's own spirit.

Al'brk'vix didn't understand anything that the _ooman _was saying nor did he much care, though he did detect the shift in her tone. Her scent even changed from the weakling fear stench to one that was sharper. It smelled of aggression, akin to what he had scented from his first female.

So much of the _ooman_ was similar to a yautja female, though on a smaller scale Al'brk'vix thought to himself. He had been toying with the idea of playing with this prey thing, but then he thought of how he could hurt Vek'rin'ka the most. He could mate this _ooman_; mark her with his scent and seed. The Arbitrator would see this and if he cared for this female as much as Al'brk'vix suspected the resulting rage would inhibit Vek'rin'ka. It would give Al'brk'vix an advantage he would not otherwise have.

As Al'brk'vix looked down on Cass through the cold lenses of his mask, the new thoughts of dominating this aggressive female made the blood pool in his loins. His cloth became tight and he reached to pull it off, revealing his glory to the female helpless below him.

Cass screamed again seeing the size of the creature's penis. She was by no means a virgin and knew most of her limits. There was no way the Bad Blood would fit in her without doing damage even if he was trying to be gentle, and that was in no way a possibility.

Al'brk'vix held the _ooman_, Vek'rin'ka's pet, firmly down as he positioned himself before her entrance. She stilled her movements though she remained tense and kept up her verbal protestations. Al'brk'vix paused there, where one move by either of them would mean he was inside her. He waited only to be sure that the _ooman _knew what was about to happen.

"Relax _ooman_," the translator hissed into Cass's ear. "Won't hurt…as much." Cass didn't know if Al'brk'vix knew about the translator, or if he was just taunting her for his own sick pleasure. In the end it didn't matter.

Without further warning Al'brk'vix thrust his hips forward. Cass's scream became shriller as the large organ forced its way into her. Al'brk'vix pulled back and repeated the thrust with the same force, giving no thought to the damage he was doing to the smaller female. He kept a rapid pace as he pistoned in and out of her.

Each thrust forced another scream from Cass as the male's penis passed over tears in her walls. It wasn't too long, only two to three minutes that felt like hours, before Cass felt the member expand. Hot semen scorched her abused sex and her scream reached a new pitch before she passed out.

XXXXX

Vek'rin'ka heard a scream, very faint, ahead of him. He had followed Cass's scent through the city out into the swamp. Now he was far away from any _ooman_ settlement and the scent was beginning to fade. The thick, rank smell of rotting vegetation was not helping matters. The scream, Vek'rin'ka instinctively knew was from Cass.

Turning away from the scent trail Vek'rin'ka broke into a run. Heading straight for the sound he growled low and made sure his _ki'its-pa_ was ready. He had already wasted time being led down two false tracks and now he was going to make up for the lost time. The Bad Blood may have been fast on his feet, but Vek'rin'ka would show him who was superior with a blade.

The distance passed in almost no time, the wind blowing against Vek'rin'ka's mask giving him an immediate advantage when he finally slowed his approach to a thick grove of trees. There was the thick, oily smell of _h'sui'se_ and Vek'rin'ka could immediately identify Cass's scent. There was something else that was all too familiar, the metallic scent imprinting itself on Vek'rin'ka's olfactory folds.

Creeping closer, pushing his way through the underbrush of the grove, Vek'rin'ka saw the scene before him. Al'brk'vix, having heard the rustle of vegetation crouched behind Cass holding her by the throat. Cass herself was naked, blood staining her legs, and unconscious. Vek'rin'ka stepped out of the shrubbery to face the Bad Blood he had come to loath beyond anything he had ever felt.

Al'brk'vix placed the blade of the stolen _naginata_ next to Cass's throat when he saw the Arbitrator. Vek'rin'ka's stance was confident, masking the rage at the impudence of the criminal before him. He knew what Al'brk'vix had done to Cass, drawing closer he could smell the stench of the male's seed. As with in the warehouse, the cold rage descended on Vek'rin'ka.

This was not the reaction Al'brk'vix expected. Vek'rin'ka flying at him with no thought to strategy was what Al'brk'vix had anticipated. The hunter before him was ready for a fight and was ready to kill. In a bid to incite Vek'rin'ka's rage, Al'brk'vix tried to taunt him.

"Come to save your precious _ooman_, Arbitrator," Al'brk'vix waited for any kind of reaction. When he received none, he tried again. "So, it the female just your new pet? Or did you plan to mate with her too? For an _ooman_ she provided a suitable release."

Vek'rin'ka made no move, remaining outwardly calm while his spirit screamed for _thwei_. With the flick of a tusk inside his mask, the laser targeting sights for his plasmacaster lit up. They trailed over Cass as Vek'rin'ka checked her for obvious injuries, and gradually settled on Al'brk'vix's head. The Bad Blood only ducked closer to Cass daring Vek'rin'ka to fire.

Vek'rin'ka held back, knowing the heat would burn Cass's face severely if he did fire. Her body shivered with the shock and blood loss and another injury could mean the difference between her life and death.

Al'brk'vix didn't have to think about hostages as his own system came online. His own burner was running low on power, but just a few well places shots would finish the Arbitrator. The burner fired with a whump as the heated gas left the barrel.

A tree to Vek'rin'ka's left provided cover as he leapt out of the way with lightning reflexes. The muscles of his legs coiled into hard springs as he sprinted behind cover. Al'brk'vix, looking only through the targeting system, lost sight of Vek'rin'ka as he moved. Cursing, Al'brk'vix switched his vision over to the normal infrared hunting vision. It was no use, Vek'rin'ka had disappeared into the trees using them as cover.

The _ooman_ was no longer useful to Al'brk'vix so he dropped her where she was, letting her fall in a crumpled heap on the ground. He moved cautiously into the trees. Now he was the prey and he would have to move well or die. Not worrying about the _ooman_ he left near dead, Al'brk'vix moved away, trying to stay concealed while he sought the Arbitrator.

Vek'rin'ka dodged in and around trees staying out of Al'brk'vix's sight as he circled around to approach from another angle. While the Bad Blood was a concern, right now he wanted to get Cass out of the middle of the open. From his spot high on a tree branch he watched Al'brk'vix move away and start moving through the brush, trying to find Vek'rin'ka's trail.

The drop down from the branch was soundless and Vek'rin'ka quickly made his way over to the still _ooman _form. She was breathing, shallowly but breathing. Vek'rin'ka picked up Cass's limp body to move her to the base of a tree where he could cover her. She stirred as he picked her up, whimpering quietly like she did when she slept. Her hand moved to grab his arm and slowly she looked up at his masked face.

Vek'rin'ka could see the pain in Cass's expression and he did his best not to jostle her too much. Her eyes also spoke of trust unlike anything he had ever seen. She was giving her life over into his care not just because she could not fight herself, but because she knew he would protect her.

Carefully Vek'rin'ka sat Cass down between two exposed roots of a large tree. He knelt beside her, vigilantly scanning the area as he pulled the _ooman_ knife from his belt. Cass's eyes darted to the blade covered in her own blood before weakly reaching up to take it by the offered handle.

Neither being spoke a word, only nodding in understanding. Then Vek'rin'ka moved back, pulling the large fronds of a nearby fern over Cass's exposed and vulnerable body. Then he moved away, hunting the Bad Blood with every sense straining for the criminal's presence.

Vek'rin'ka spotted Al'brk'vix in a tree across the clearing, about half way up, not facing him. Vek'rin'ka powered up his cloak and started to circle around the grassy area, so much of it stained with Cass's blood. He focused only on Al'brk'vix, moving silently through the foliage as if he had done it a thousand times before in this place.

Al'brk'vix had lost sigh of Vek'rin'ka after he had engaged his camouflage field and moved into the trees. He had hoped the tree's height would give him a shot at the Arbitrator but his mask could not differentiate between the heat of the swamp and that of Vek'rin'ka's body and by the time his tech-vision setting had taken over Vek'rin'ka was gone. Switching back to the thermal setting, the only thing he could make out was the paling heat of the _ooman_. Thinking that he should have kept the female to draw Vek'rin'ka in Al'brk'vix climbed carefully down from his perch, cautious of any attack.

Moving quickly across the open area the Bad Blood roughly pulled the concealing plants away from Cass. She laid there, pretending to be unconscious still. She had done her best to hide her weapon between her arm and side, silently praying it wouldn't be found. She tried to breathe calmly, not wanting to give away that she was in fact, awake.

Al'brk'vix picked Cass up by her neck and pulled her out into the open. Cass tried to remain as limp as possible while still hiding her knife. The Bad Blood didn't pay much attention to the _ooman_ he thought still helpless as he turned towards the clearing.

"Come out Arbitrator. Come save your pet," Al'brk'vix taunted. As he peered around the area he extended his wrist blades and drew them across Cass chest. Red blood seeped out of the new wound and Cass couldn't help but tense, sucking in a shallow breathe.

At that moment Vek'rin'ka appeared on the branch that Al'brk'vix had vacated. He stood at his full height and held the trunk with one hand. In the other was his _ki'its-pa_, ready to spill _thwei_. Cass met Vek'rin'ka's gaze, eye to eye piece. Again, no words needed to be spoken between them as Vek'rin'ka waited for what Cass was going to do.

Holding the knife in hand with the blade pointed backwards towards Al'brk'vix, Cass rammed her hand back into the muscle behind her. There was enough resistance against the human weapon that she jerked back again just before Al'brk'vix let go of her neck in surprise. As she fell to the ground she twisted around without letting go of her weapon and tried to pull upwards on it to eviscerate him before the Bad Blood backhanded her. The strike that could have easily taken off her head just missed her as she landed on her two feet.

Al'brk'vix screeched his outrage at the impudent _ooman_ that dared lash out at him. He raised his _ki'cti-pa_ and just missed the _ooman_ again as she fell bodily to the ground, her injured leg incapable of supporting her weight.

Not thinking about the Arbitrator he had been taunting Al'brk'vix raised his hand again to finish the writhing _ooman_ on the ground before him. His strike is interrupted as Vek'rin'ka tackled him to the ground. The Arbitrator's shoulder connected with Al'brk'vix's abused abdomen and both yautja went to the ground wrestling for the upper position.

The two foes rolled away from Cass as she tried to crawl away from the battle. The two fighting aliens parted when Vek'rin'ka got his feet under Al'brk'vix's stomach and propelled him away. Instantly Vek'rin'ka was on his feet and staring at Al'brk'vix who had his plasmacaster locked on Vek'rin'ka. As he dove away, trying to lead Al'brk'vix away from Cass he heard the bleat of the firearm signalling that it cannot fire.

Whether the negative response was because of the fall or because it was out of fires already, Vek'rin'ka didn't waste anytime. He has not let go of his staff and instantly turned to face the Bad Blood. The two warriors square off face to face as they wait for the other to make the first move. Both are bleeding from shallow cuts that they received when Vek'rin'ka took down Al'brk'vix.

"_M-di H'chak, _Bad Blood. You have lost your honor, your name and your lineage," Vek'rin'ka snarled at Al'brk'vix.

Al'brk'vix tensed and readied himself for this deciding battle. There would be only one to walk away now and he summoned every ounce of strength he had to roar at Vek'rin'ka. "_Nan-deThan-guan_!"

Al'brk'vix lunged at Vek'rin'ka, slashing with his wrist blades and scoring two parallel cuts below the shoulder guard. Instantly, Vek'rin'ka brought his spear around and hit Al'brk'vix over the head with its shaft. The hit stunned Al'brk'vix who stumbled for a step before retrieving the _naginata_ from his back. He smirked under his mask as Vek'rin'ka roared at the sight of his father's stolen weapon.

Vek'rin'ka attempted to slash Al'brk'vix's stomach open wider with the tip of his weapon. The strike is blocked as Al'brk'vix used the ornate weapon he had stolen from Esh'ta to lock with Vek'rin'ka's own weapon. Drawn in close, Vek'rin'ka slashed at Al'brk'vix's throat with his wrist blades.

With one hand off the staff, Al'brk'vix was able to push Vek'rin'ka's weapon away and bring the _naginata_ up to defend his throat. Before Vek'rin'ka can replace his grip on his staff, Al'brk'vix dropped to one knee. Using both hands on the shaft of the polearm he attempted to trust the tip upwards into Vek'rin'ka's chest.

The only thing Al'brk'vix was given to show for his effort was a scratch up the side of Vek'rin'ka's mask as the body he was aiming for shifted out of the weapon's path.

It is then that Al'brk'vix realized his fatal mistake. He is kneeling on the ground with both his arms over extended. Before him is an accomplished Arbitrator. He doesn't have time to think beyond that as he felt the solid smack of Vek'rin'ka's _ki'its-pa_ hit his forward leg.

Instead of following through with the strike to knock the Bad Blood off balance by knocking out his supporting leg, Vek'rin'ka pulled his staff back towards himself. The backwards pointing barbs on the tip dig deep into the meaty flesh of the calf and Bad Blood drops his weapon to balance himself with his hands.

Viciously, Vek'rin'ka ripped the barbs out of the vulnerable warriors leg and punched the side of his head. Al'brk'vix fell over, weaponless and off balance he could do little more than grunt as he fell onto his side. He tried to push himself back up, shaking his head as he got up onto all fours. Black spots burst in his sight and he couldn't tell if it was his own vision or if the hit caused his mask to malfunction.

He barely registered the Law Keeper stepping up beside him but he heard the admonishment, "_Payas leitjin-de. Hma'mi-de."_ Something his instructors and father had told him time and time again. Remember God's practice. It was too late for that.

A brutal kick to his chest sent Al'brk'vix flipping over to land on his back. He knew that Vek'rin'ka would not strike him in the back. In his last minutes he was beginning to understand how far he had deviated from the Path. It was then that he felt the spear tip pierced his chest and pierced his heart.

Vek'rin'ka heard the Bad Blood gurgle something unintelligible as the blood filled his lungs and throat. Whatever he had said did not matter though. He was dead and his name would be erased. He did not matter now, and had proven he never mattered.

Vek'rin'ka pulled the staff from the dead yautja's chest and shook the blood off. After a final scan he was sure that the Bad Blood was dead and he could attend to other important matters. He flipped the computer on his wrist open and hit the homing signal, allowing his appropriated ship to fly out to pick him up.

Then he turned to check on Cass.


	20. Bittersweet Victory

**Title:** Predator: SVU

**Author:** Prairiefire

**Chapter: **Twenty: Bittersweet Victory

**Fandom:** Predator AU

**Rating:** M/R

**Warnings:** Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

**Orientation:** Het

**Pairings:** Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

**Summary: **Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

**Feedback:** Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

**Word Count: **1966

**Notes:** This is the end of the line for this story. I hope you enjoy. And Chancellor22, happy birthday, here's your present.

Vek'rin'ka turned to look for Cass. During the fight with Al'brk'vix he had lost track her and had focused on eliminating the Bad Blood. He saw her laying half under a fern at the edge of the clearing. One hand was held over her chest, the other clung loosely to the knife Vek'rin'ka had given her.

Vek'rin'ka walked over the Cass carefully taking note of her injuries. She was unconscious, probably mercifully, and her breathing was shallow. Blood seeped out from beneath her hand, staining it and her chest with its bright red. The stab wound on her leg that the _ooman_ Bad Blood inflicted had crusted blood around the edges, but looked to be freshly torn open and bleeding again.

Gingerly Vek'rin'ka knelt beside Cass. She didn't stir when he called her name nor when he moved her hand to take a closer look at the cut across her chest. The wound would not have been serious on its own, but combined with her other injuries it needed to be taken care of. Cass had lost too much blood already to be able to loose any more. Vek'rin'ka didn't have anything to replace it with.

Al'brk'vix's scent covered Cass and Vek'rin'ka growled at the thought of the Bad Blood violating her. As his ship touched down in the clearing, crushing several trees during the landing, Vek'rin'ka carefully picked Cass up. On the back of her arm he felt a small bump under the skin. Cursing himself, he remembered the tiny tracker he placed there. If he had just used it, instead of only relaying on his senses, he would have been able to find her faster. He would have spared her this torment. Now, he would seek redemption for his failure by trying to heal her.

Vek'rin'ka's other hand felt warm blood flow over it as he pulled her legs from the ground. Shocked, he ran to the ship with Cass securely held to his chest. He had little time to waste if he was going to preserve Cass's life. The blood flow needed to be stopped, and the wounds needed to be cleaned to prevent infection from setting in.

Laying Cass down on the padded floor of the _kehrite_ he pulled vials of the healing agent out of the medical storage drawer. He didn't know if they would help her or if they would react adversely with her _ooman_ physiology, but at this point it could do no more harm than good.

The internal scanner of his mask showed Vek'rin'ka the tears in Cass's passage caused by Al'brk'vix. Quickly he mixed the appropriate compounds into the thick blue healing gel that would seal the injuries and prevent further blood loss.

When the gel was ready Vek'rin'ka hesitated only for a moment. As he wiped Cass's entrance clean again he could only praise Paya that Cass was still unconscious. The gel would burn the toughest hide and he had to apply it to one of a female's most sensitive areas. Holding Cass down with his free arm he forced the applicator containing the gel inside her. He made sure to spread it over all the internal wounds.

Cass stiffened for a moment, but did not wake. Vek'rin'ka slid the spatula-like tool out of Cass carefully, worried he would do further damage. When it came out covered in Cass's blood he growled again, the sight making him feel as if he had violated her as well.

Focusing instead on Cass's other injuries, Vek'rin'ka sterilized and sealed the deep stab wound on her leg and moved to the cut over her collarbone. A shallow enough cut, but the Bad Blood knew where to cut to draw the greatest amount of blood.

Tending to that would was simple and smaller scratches were covered with what was left of the healing gel. Once the injuries were seen to Vek'rin'ka pulled all the small parasites off of Cass before picking her up. He left the stimulant injection, not intending to use it on her. The Hunt was over, now Cass would need rest if she was to recover. If she did, Vek'rin'ka would have to decide what to do with her.

Carrying her still limp form out of the _kehrite_ to his quarters Vek'rin'ka relished for the first time the physical contact. Her light form was held in his arms like a sleeping pup. Vek'rin'ka put Cass on the bed and she was nearly swallowed by its size. Before he pulled the fur over her, Vek'rin'ka ran his hand over her face one more time. Her skin was cool to his touch, cooler than it usually was. Vek'rin'ka knew she was a strong female, but he wondered if she would be strong enough to recover.

As Vek'rin'ka pulled away, Cass's eyes fluttered and opened heavily. "Vek?" Her voice was small and fearful. Her pain was obvious as she called out to him. Through the haze of her vision she could see someone over her and she tried to sit up. She sucked in a sharp breath as the pain lanced through her and fell back.

"Rest," Vek'rin'ka said as he put his hand on her shoulder. Cass's eyes were already closed when he withdrew.

"Found me," a soft breath carried out of Cass before she succumbed to her fatigue and injuries again.

"Yes." Yes, he found her, but not fast enough. Vek'rin'ka was again pulled to the fact that he could have found her faster if he had just used his technology and not allowed his anger make him forget about it.

Cass's fate was up to her now. Vek'rin'ka had done all he could and Cass would have to fight this battle on her own. He left the room to clean up the _kehrite_ and then to the cockpit.

He sat in the control chair, brooding about what to do now. Assuming Cass lived, what would happen to her. She knew too much about the Yautja and himself. Her body also held evidence of their existence. There was no way that she could be allowed to return to her life.

Besides that, Cass had said that killing the Bad Blood would cost her her livelihood. She had no family to go back to and in the eyes of the primitive _ooman_ justice system she was dishonoured and no more than a Bad Blood herself. There was nothing except a dwelling for her to go back to, a place she told him she would never return to anyway.

What was left was what to do with her. She was a worthy warrior, and without the pup she was now eligible again as prey. Vek'rin'ka did not even dismiss this. He never considered it. It was never an option for him to kill her.

Still, taking her with him was not an option. At most, his clan would view her as a living trophy. There was no way he could view her like that, and subject her to the treatment she would receive as such a possession. So no, she could not come with him.

Vek'rin'ka wondered if relocating her would be possible. _Oomans_ were primitive but advanced enough to track and find what they considered Bad Bloods around their world. She would not be safe, for her understandable, grief-stricken action she would forever be hunted.

If she was found, and sent to an _ooman_ 'prison' Vek'rin'ka did not want to think what would happen. One former Arbitrator among hundreds of Bad Bloods? She would not survive. Vek'rin'ka began to wonder if she would not be better off succumbing to an honourable death now.

His brooding continued throughout the evening and still he could not come to a decision. No possibility he could think of was an option for him. He could not bring himself to kill her or place her in a situation where her death was certain. Nor could he take her with him to live at the mercy of his clan.

Leaving the bridge, Vek'rin'ka walked back to his quarters. Cass was where he left her, laying on the bed. Dreams have taken her mind, he noticed as he watched her eyes move under their lids and hears the mewling noises come from her mouth. She was breathing easier than before but her color was still pale. Her blood would take much time to replenish itself. That is where most of her recovery would take place. That and preventing any possible infections. Standing in the doorway, Vek'rin'ka clearly realized one thing: he would not abandon her.

Her strength, born of a natural stubbornness and a devotion to children, drew him to her. He was now aware of how protective he was of her and he would not allow her to go without his protection.

Consequences be damned, Vek'rin'ka decided while looking over Cass. She would come with him. There was no other way he could be sure she stayed safe. The details could be worked out later, but she was home. She could come back to this wretched little ball of dirt anytime she asked, but no one would force him to bring her back here. He would forego living on the Clanship if he had to, living and traveling just on his own little ship if that's what he had to do to keep her.

Leaving Cass to rest, Vek'rin'ka went back and began to prepare for departure. Just before he fired up the thrusters he heard his comm system chime.

"Arbitrator Vek'rin'ka here," he acknowledged. He was edgy now that his decision was made and he wanted to leave quickly. If the Council, who was undoubtedly calling, asked about Cass he would have to tell them. It was doubtful that they would agree with his decision.

"Message from the _Setg'in_ High Council incoming," the warrior working the communications station on the distant Clanship relayed.

"Ready here," Vek'rin'ka informed the other Yautja.

Sytra'ti's image appeared on the holoscreen in front of Vek'rin'ka moments later. The rest of the Council could be seen behind her. "Have you any news to report of your hunt?"

"Yes, High Eldress." Vek'rin'ka thought about how he would tell them about his hunt. The High Eldress had not specifically asked about Cass and he wasn't about to volunteer any information. He decided to keep the information centered on Al'brk'vix. "I have disposed of the last Bad Blood and am readying to return to the Clanship."

Behind Sytra'ti, Vek'rin'ka could see Hin'lig pull his mandibles into a smirk. The knowledge that his daughter's rapist and murderer was dead must have pleased him greatly. Sytra'ti nodded her head in understanding and continued, "That is excellent news, however, discussion of it was not why we contacted you."

Vek'rin'ka cocked his head to the side, curious as to why the Council would contact him over such a vast distance if not for a Hunt's update. He waited for his mother to continue before prompting her on. "Why is it you contacted me then if it is not business that can be attended to when I return?"

"We have another mission for you on the _ooman _planet. It is of an unusual nature should you accept it. It would put our sister clan in an honor debt to us."

Vek'rin'ka asked them to go ahead and tell him the details. It was made exceptionally clear that he did not have to accept this mission and he would loose no status, and he was even more intrigued by it. As Sytra'ti told him of the mission he realized how unusual it was and told the Council that he would take it. After all, it might give him some leverage with the Council on his decision to return with Cass.

_To Be Continued…_

_Watch This Fall for "Predator: The Captive"_


End file.
